Youths from the south-south part of Nigeria under the umbrella of Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) have spoken of the need for meaningful youth participation in Nigeria’s democracy and governance for the betterment of the country’s economy and political system.
The youth body declared this recently during its enlarged regional town hall meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The event championed by the organisation through its YouthGovTracka project, discussed “Engaging Youth in Democracy: A Caution for Good Governance” and recorded participation from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River and Rivers to raise youth agency as active citizens, bridge government-youth divide and drive public accountability.
Leading the charge were Burabari Nleera for Rivers State, God’sLove-Divine Ngbechukwuyem for Cross River State, Abigail Agwuegbo for Delta State and Blessing Nnabugwu for Bayelsa State.
The convener and the Akwa Ibom State vocal person for YouthGovTracka, Menyene Ekong, who in his welcome remarks lauded the efforts of BBYDI, stressed the importance of active citizenship and shared interest in regional and national development.
“Today’s discourse is consultative. Therefore, I implore everyone to be open-minded, constructive and welcoming in charting ways for meaningful youth participation and government accountability,” he remarked.
In another segment, Mr Udeme Okono, who led a keynote, said “Youths must note that they will keep getting sidelined and kept out of governance if we do not take action and make meaningful contributions.
“No one is going to invite you to the table with open arms, especially when you have nothing to offer. This is the part where self-development comes in; building yourself so intentionally that you become a voice,” he added.
Miss Unyime Bush Alias JayBush, a YouTuber and technology enthusiast, who spoke on ‘Civic Technology as a Tool for Meaningful Youth Participation’ endorsed that “the YouthGovTracka platform solves the issue of equity; gathering information that is accessible to youths of both genders to drive meaningful participation in governance.”
Presenting on ‘Youth Engagement in the Budget Process,’ Faith Paulinus, the Governance Reforms and Anti-Corruption Lead at Policy Alert stressed that “as youths and active citizens, we can only hold our leaders accountable when we know the budget, what to expect and track how revenue is spent.”
The convening proceeded with remarkable contributions from the panelists. They were Ndueso Young – Executive Director of TeenGirls’ Development Initiative, Peace Edem – Executive Director of Youth for Change Initiative and Praise Ebitu – Vice President of the University of Uyo Student Union Government. Others who attended and contributed to the meeting include the Program Manager of BBYDI, Mr Habeeb Adewale and the Director of Youth at the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, Mr Emmanuel Akpabio.
The South-South Regional Town Hall Meeting also exposed participants to actionable steps such as engaging with the YouthGovTracka and other resources and tools including the Office of the Citizen Accountability Toolkit and Menu of Possible Commitment as launched and circulated for civic engagement and government accountability, among other highlights.
