Social
The Orange Democratic Movement Communications Director Philip Etale has appealed to Lugari youths to stay away from social evils to safeguard their future. Etale made the appeal during an inaugural forum that brought together youths from Lugari Constituency at Friends Church in Lumakanda.
He said the youth who are a majority of the population should strive to make use of their youthfulness when it still lasts. He said: “Make good use of your time as a youth. Don’t waste your time engaging in destructive activities like crime and substance abuse.
Idleness leads to involvement in drug and alcohol abuse. Most youths have become zombies because of too much involvement in drugs and consumption of illicit liquor like chang’aa.
However, if you decide to be responsible as a youth at this particular time then your future is guaranteed. But if you want to mess up your future, mess up with your youth now. The choice is yours. Choose to be productive today for your own good or choose to be unproductive and perish. A lot of young people have not succeeded today because they have decided that life has no meaning.”
Etale further reminded participants at the forum that this is the right time for them to decide to be productive in order to reap the benefits later.
“As young people God has given you time, God has given you the brain, God has given you the environment in which you can make a difference. If you don’t want to do it now there will be no other time for you to do what is good and can help you to grow and change the society,” he advised.
He challenged elected leaders across the country to embrace the youth and show them the right direction for a better future. He said: “The leaders must embrace the youth. Our nation can only grow if we decide the youths, are its pillars. In everything we do as a country let us give the youth a priority.
Let us ensure they are empowered and self-reliant rather than misuse them during electioneering periods. If we don’t empower them we shall have failed as leaders, as a nation and as parents.”
Lugari Youth Council Chair Emmanuel Tyron and the Secretary General Shapharn Moore said the major challenge that has held back the youth in the constituency has been lack of avenues to express themselves and what they are capable of.
They said it is only through such forums that the youths will be able to get a chance to exchange ideas and realise their potential.
“The youths are engaged in very many productive activities within their communities, but they lack a platform to showcase them. That is why we decided to organize such a forum and invite various organizations and leaders from Lugari to listen to us,” Tyron explained.