Jude Imagwe, the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Youths and Students Affairs, on Tuesday advised Nigerian youths not to depend on government for jobs.
Imagwe gave the advice in Abuja at the “African Youth Leadership Summit.”
He said youths should discover ways of making themselves employable rather than waiting for white collar jobs.
He added: “Our young Nigerians should start thinking outside government jobs as there is no government either in Nigeria or anywhere in the world that can completely eradicate unemployment.
“While we are hoping that as youths we can get the kind of government jobs that we desire, we should also remember that the Federal Government alone cannot create all the needed jobs.”
Imagwe said employment was not meant to be the main function of the Federal Government alone, as states and local governments also had roles to play.
The Chairman of the occasion, Reuben Jaja, said the youth should be positively engaged in positive innovations.
Jaja said: “Unrest in the society cannot lead us to anywhere as a country.
“We need to appreciate our diversity in culture and traditions and be able to tolerate one another.
Tunji Asaolu, the President of the African Youth International Development Foundation, said that the aim of the summit was to address some leadership challenges in Africa.
Asaolu said: “The challenges include that of insecurity and marginalisation of youths in the position of decision making in government.
“There is nothing wrong if youths are given 25 per cent affirmative.
“If our leaders can consider this, the challenges of insecurity and other problems will be a thing of the past.”
Asaolu said the Foundation had been involved in similar programmes to empower youths at all levels.
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