Anti-corruption day: Ministry sets up youth help desk

As part of events to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day, the Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has announced the set up of a Youth Help Desk, as a platform for youths to report cases of corruption and seek help when needed.

The minister made the announcement during his address at an event to mark the Anti-Corruption Day, themed “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity”, held at the UN House in Abuja on Tuesday.

Olawande, who lamented the statistics of young persons denied justice in the Corrections system, said the goal of the Ministry was to “create a system that protects, supports, and empowers every young Nigerian”, adding that the country’s economic hardship, lack of opportunities, and weak institutional structures, often pushed young people toward crime.

“The challenges are clear. Across the country, too many young people find themselves victims of a justice system that often fails them. A large number of our prisoners are under the age of 35, and many are held without trial for years. This troubling reality highlights a dual crisis: young people facing systemic delays in accessing justice and the growing involvement of youth in criminal activities.

“Economic hardship, lack of opportunities, and weak institutional structures often push our young people toward crime, further fueling the cycle of mistrust in the system. In response to these urgent issues, the Ministry of Youth Development established the Nigerian Youth Help Desk. This initiative serves as a direct link between young Nigerians and the support they need. It is a platform where they can report cases of corruption, seek justice, and access the help they need”, he said.

The minister also announced a partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, to strengthen the fight against drug abuse, noting the prevalence of drug abuse among young people between the ages of 25-39.

“At the same time, the rising wave of drug abuse is tearing through our communities. The prevalence is particularly high among those aged 25-39, a core youth demographic. Behind these figures are countless stories of young people struggling with addiction, cybercrimes, victims of Human Trafficking, unable to find help, and battling stigma that pushes them further into isolation.

“To strengthen our efforts, yesterday we announced our partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Together, we are building a more effective response to the challenges our youth face and we are creating safe spaces and empowering young people with the knowledge to protect themselves”, he stated.

Also speaking the Country Director of the UNODC, Cheikh Toure, said a recent survey disclosed that Nigeria, particularly the youth demography, had made progress in its efforts against corruption.

“An impressive 70% of Nigerians, including our youth, have refused to pay a bribe on at least one occasion. This statistic is not just a number; it represents a growing culture of integrity and resistance against corruption. Moreover, 42% of respondents refused to pay bribes simply because it was ‘the right thing to do’. This moral stance is the foundation upon which we must build our anti-corruption efforts”.

“We’ve also seen a significant increase in the willingness to report bribery incidents, more than doubling from 3.6% in 2019 to 8.6% in 2023.

“This surge in civic responsibility is partly due to the increased accessibility of complaint channels, including social networks, websites, and apps. The rate of negative consequences for refusing to pay bribes has decreased from 49% in 2019 to 38% in 2023.

“Furthermore, we’ve witnessed a nearly threefold increase in the initiation of formal procedures against corrupt public officials, rising from 16% to 45% between 2019 and 2023.”

While commending youth innovativeness, he called on stakeholders to sustain the fight against corruption, noting that long-term success could only be achieved “through effective preventive strategies and unwavering commitment”.