Nigeria’s ministry of communications told Bikya Masr/IT News Africa on Friday morning that the country is aiming to help promote socially responsible youth through the use of technology and social media. The statements come as North Africa continues to see unrest in Libya, where thousands of protesters have been killed in two weeks of fighting, and Egypt and Tunisia successfully ousted their leaders through street demonstrations.
The source, who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak with the media, said that sites such as Facebook, Twitter and blogging websites were to be discussed in upcoming meetings by the ministry in the hopes of creating a more open society.
“We have a lot of problems in this country, from religion to corruption, and the ministry believes it is the right time to tackle many of these issues through the use of social media and get young people talking about issues in Nigeria,” the official said.
Although specifics on possible initiatives were not elaborated upon, the official said that he was confident that Nigeria’s youth would see the usefulness of future projects.
“It will be done in an open manner that enables and empowers young people in the face of the problems,” the official continued. “Who knows, maybe it will help create a society that is open and tolerant of one another’s views.”
By Staff
