250 young people from 125 coastal and riverine communities urge government to address gaps in education, transportation and essential services at dialogue in Ajah.
By Heapnews
Young people from 125 riverine and coastal communities in Lagos State have called on the government to improve access to healthcare, education, employment and basic infrastructure in their settlements.
The call was made at the Lagos Riverine Community Youth Leaders Dialogue held at Badore Ferry Terminal, Ajah, where 250 youth representatives discussed development challenges affecting their communities.
The dialogue was organised by the Blue Lagos Sustainability Initiative in collaboration with the New Generation Directorate to strengthen engagement between young people and government officials and ensure that the needs of underserved communities are reflected in development planning.
Speaking at the event, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, Lagos State Special Adviser on Blue Economy, said engaging young people was essential to addressing the development challenges facing coastal and riverine communities.
He said effective communication between the government and grassroots communities was necessary for meaningful development, adding that authorities needed to listen to residents and incorporate their concerns into policy planning and implementation.
During an interactive session, participants highlighted difficulties accessing essential services, citing geographical barriers and inadequate infrastructure in their communities.
Their concerns included poor access to healthcare and education, limited employment opportunities, transportation challenges, environmental sustainability, youth empowerment and inadequate social services.
Emmanuel acknowledged the concerns and assured participants that their recommendations would be forwarded to relevant government authorities for consideration and necessary action.
In her goodwill message, Princess Damilola Sonayon James, Lagos State APC deputy governorship candidate and Director of the New Generation Directorate, urged young people to participate actively in governance and community development.
She said youth involvement should extend beyond criticising government policies to offering ideas, engaging with leaders and contributing to decisions affecting their communities.
James said young people had the creativity, energy and understanding of local challenges needed to contribute to development, urging the participants to remain organised and maintain constructive engagement with government institutions.
The dialogue also featured the participation of Mobolaji Ogunlende, Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, alongside other stakeholders from the New Generation Directorate.
Discussions focused on employment and livelihood opportunities, education, healthcare, environmental protection, infrastructure and improving access to government programmes.
Participants also called for stronger communication channels between public institutions and riverine communities, stressing the need for young people in geographically isolated settlements to be represented in decisions affecting their welfare.
The organisers said the engagement was intended to broaden grassroots participation and ensure that the perspectives of young people in underserved communities informed governance and development initiatives.
They said sustained collaboration among government institutions, community leaders, youth organisations and civil society groups would be necessary to address the socioeconomic challenges facing Lagos’ coastal and riverine settlements.
The dialogue was convened by Adesanya Saheed.