“Be self-reliant, create jobs”-Cameroonian youths told

By Ajongakou Santos in Buea

Rev. Fr. Nkeze and others bent on bringing change

Cameroonian youths from all ten regions of the country; representing youth organisations have been urged to be self-driven and entrepreneurs in this era of emergence. Discussions to this effect took place at the Catholic University Institute of Buea, (CUIB) in which, their contribution to the 2035 emergence goals were emphasised.
    In the newly formed Youth Forum christened; Camer Youthinited, organised by the CUIB Student Government Association (STUGA), the participating youths stressed the need for the young people in Cameroon to forge ahead, engage in entrepreneur driven goals and make a difference as the vision of development is also at the centre of wishes and goals for the society they are looking forward to.
While addressing the issues at stake, the president of the student association, Momo Bertrand revealed that the Cameroonian youths must stop concentrating on others for jobs, and engage in self-reliant goals as well as have an entrepreneurial spirit that will make them self-employed and why not create jobs for others, should they want to succeed. He stressed on the need for students to spend less time criticising the government, but work for the future they envisage.


In commenting on the move by the students
    According to Rev. George Jingwa, youths need to realise that the developmental goals are a vision, and that they must be at the centre because it concerns them. He urged government not to stop seeing the youths as a thread to their position or people always ready to go on strike but as people whose needs and views need to be taken into consideration since their future depends on how the government invest on them.  Discussions at this Youth Symposium were under the theme, “Emergence before 2035, myth or reality”; wherein, participants presented pictures of a Cameroon they want and are working for. The views ranging from a self-sustainable Cameroon, a Cameroon free from the pangs of bribery and corruption, a society of peace with accountable and reliable leaders, and a host of others.
    In response to what the youths pictured, the Divisional Officer of Buea, Kouam Wokam Paul accentuated that everything must begin in the minds of individuals urging the youths participating at the forum to all be part of the Camer Youthinited and work on the same lane with them for a better Cameroon. Among issues proposals sent to the presidency, NGOs, other organisations and platforms will be the issue of poor governance that delays the achievement of developmental goals, the needs of the educational system in Cameroon, the ill practise of gender bias, tribalism. The need for a vibrant agricultural sector was not left out as many youths shy away from what youths elsewhere depend on.