By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

The apex youth organisation in Ekiti State, the Youth Parliament, on Friday presented a bill proposing a compulsory genotype test for all intending couples in the state before marriage.

The youth body, led by its Speaker, Comrade Tunde Olusanya, during a special sitting to commemorate its one-year anniversary, also passed a vote of confidence in the State’s Youth Commissioner, Mr. Gold Adesola Adedayo, for implementing what it described as transformative policies positively impacting the lives of the productive population.

The special sitting, held inside the Hallowed Chambers of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, was part of activities marking the first anniversary of the parliament’s inauguration.

Other bills presented by the parliament include: A bill for a law to provide online applications and collection of State of Origin certificates in all Local Government Areas; a bill to allow Ekiti State Peace Corps to serve as security personnel in all public schools, and a bill for the inclusion of disabled youths in the Ekiti State Parliament, among others.

Speaking at the session, the Speaker, Comrade Olusanya, said the bill, which will be transmitted to the State House of Assembly for passage, aims to reduce the rising cases of sickle cell disease in the state.

During the plenary, the parliament also presented an award of excellence to the Youth Commissioner as part of the anniversary celebrations.

Prior to the special sitting, Olusanya and other members of the parliament toured some ongoing and completed youth-friendly projects initiated by Governor Oyebanji across the state. Olusanya commended the governor for establishing the Bring Youths Back to Agriculture Project, which aims to bolster food security for residents.

Inspecting projects in Ikere-Ekiti, Erunfun, Oke Ako, Iyemero, and Ayede-Gede, Olusanya stated that the initiative had employed over 1,000 youths.

The Speaker added that the project is part of Governor Oyebanji’s efforts to ensure food sufficiency and position Ekiti State as the food basket of the country.

“We appreciate the governor for providing necessary opportunities for youths to thrive in agriculture and other sectors. We will continue to support the governor and work towards creating economic opportunities for youths, positioning them as employers of labour.

“As you can see, several hectares of land have been cleared in Ikere-Ekiti and Ayede-Gede. Security personnel are on ground, and equipment has been provided. The government has cleared the land free of charge and subsidised inputs by 50% to encourage youths to return to agriculture,” h said.

Some of the youths on the farms praised the governor for his support and requested additional provisions, including buses for easier access to their farms, free inputs, agricultural loans, accommodation at the farmsteads, and the rehabilitation of farm roads.

Speaking at the special sitting, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Gold Adesola Adedayo, assured that the current administration under Governor Oyebanji would continue to provide good leadership, enabling the youth to excel in their daily activities.

Adedayo urged the youths to continue supporting the governor, emphasising that Oyebanji remains committed to creating an environment that allows young people to showcase their talents for the benefit of the state.

He used the occasion to highlight some projects initiated by the government, including,, the introduction of a youth data collection and analysis centre, the review of the Ekiti Youth Policy, increased bursary allocations for students, sponsorship of members of the Youth Parliament to Ghana, and training and empowerment of youths through Adire Ekiti production, among other initiatives