Good governance and youth empowerment: a recipe for sustainable development

Abstract

This study sought to examine the nexus between good governance, youth empowerment and sustainable development, as the best option to address the worrisome issues of underdevelopment. The scholarly work was a desktop research found within the ambit of the ‘Social Contract Theory’ as its theoretical model of analysis. The study found that young people continue to face structural and societal barriers to full and effective participation in political, economic and community life; exposing them to increased risk of marginalization, poverty, violence, criminality and displacement, unemployment, violence, rising criminality and insurgency in Nigeria. The study argued that the misplaced priority of the Nigerian government and its middle-of-the-road cash handouts as youth empowerment programmes is not sustainability-sensitive enough or heterogeneously suitable to push the nation out of its unemployment trouble and socioeconomic ills. Hence there’s no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria needs a thorough reformation in governance. We need governance that is receptive to the youths, participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive, and follows the rule of law. To remedy the plights of the youths, the Nigerian government needs to review its current empowerment programmes targeted at reducing unemployment among youths. The government should involve the youth in redesigning the programmes, prioritizing areas of interventions based on needs assessment, developing measurable indicators and putting in place mechanisms to ensure effective implementation of the programmes.