Challenges Facing the Implementation of Youth Empowerment Programmes in Nigeria

Abstract
This study focuses on the challenges affecting the implementation of youth  empowerment programmes vis-à-vis the National Economic and Development  Strategy (NEEDS) using  four Local Government Areas of Wukari, Ibbi, Gassol and Jalingo in Taraba State  as a case study. This study identifies the major challenges that stand as a bottleneck towards the implementation of youth empowerment programmes. Questionnaire was administered to collect relevant data which was analyzed, using the simple percentages method. It was discovered that poor monitoring and supervision of youth programmes, lack of funding, inadequate infrastructural facilities, lack of qualified youth personnel (leaders), poor management of youth recreational facilities and vocational centre, among others were responsible for the poor implementation of youth empowerment programmes in Taraba State. Having identified the problems, recommendations were further made to help in solving the problem. The researcher recommended that government needs to provide enough fund for the assessment and monitoring of youth programmes,  provision of well equipped vocational centres, recruitment of qualified youth leaders, among others have to be vigorously pursued and achieved if the objectives of the Taraba State Government concerning youth empowerment is to be ascertained.