Hello, My name is Umar Nasko. (PDP Governorship candidate in Niger state).

In our personal and public lives, we need to seriously start considering the impact of our words and actions, especially before we say or carry them out.

That is why my word for today is IMPACT. 

As the commissioner of environment in Niger State, I was worried about the impact of unmonitored commercial activities on our forests. This concern led to the creation of the Niger State forest guards. 

In establishing that agency, we not only created jobs for the over 500 youths that were directly employed by the agency, we created opportunities for artisans that sewed the uniforms, made the shoes, and provided other support services. By our estimates, over 3,000 people were economically empowered by that decision.

Impact!

One of the most unfortunate areas where are failing in communicating impact is on our youths especially those in secondary schools.

Today, drugs and violence are becoming acceptable culture among teenagers in secondary schools. Sadly, there seems to be no comprehensive, well thought our orientation strategy to communicate the future impact of these ugly choices to the teenagers in our secondary schools today.

We need effective strategies to let these teenagers know that the choices they are making today will leave a devastating impact on them and by extension, our nation tomorrow.

We can do this through films, music videos, songs, and events in schools, and through social media.

One of the most powerful impact we can make in life, is placing our youths in a better position to make positive impact in our Nation tomorrow.

After all, in the words of Jackie Robinson “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

God bless you, God bless Nigeria.