Youth Advocates for Peace, Justice, and Empowerment Network in
partnership with Association of Southern Nigeria students and Rotract
Club, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, have  appealed to government at
all levels to help mitigate the hardship faced by youths by setting up
programmes that will have positive impact in their lives.


The youths made the appeal in Awka while on.  awareness campaign  on the increasing rate  of suicide  especially in tertiary institutions across the country.
Correspondent, Emmanuel Chigbata reports that  the youths in their numbers walked from UNIZIK first gate Ifite-Awka
down to Arroma Junction, carrying placards with inscriptions like
“inspire hope, say no to suicide”, “stop suicide and embrace hope”, “take
a deep breath, don’t take your last breath” among others.


According to the Executive Director, Youth Advocates for Peace Justice
and Empowerment Network, Mr. Timothy Nwachukwu, the awareness was to
address the unscrupulous act of Nigerian youth in ending their lives due to depression and frustration .


Mr. Nwachukwu, who described suicide as a taboo that does not align
with the culture and tradition of the people, called on the media to
play active role in the fight against suicide by creating good media
contents that will inspire the hope of people. 
The President, Rotract Club, UNIZIK Awka, Mr. Solomon Nwojij, advised
youths to embrace hope and engage themselves in positive activities
that will make them have a brighter future.   


For the Chief Information Officer, Association of Southern Nigeria,
Mr. Udochukwu Ofomata, and a student of UNIZIK, Mr. Collins Igwe,
government should make soft loans available with certificate backed
collateral for the unemployed graduated youths.


They advocated decrease in the price of tuition fees to make
education accessible to the poor as well as creating employment and
sporting activities to engage the youth since an idle mind is a
devil’s workshop.