By Our Correspondent

The Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), and Marine Base Youth Leadership Networks in line with its resolve towards accountability of government to the people and the youths and working to increase transparency and accountability in the youth unemployment and empowerment in Rivers state had an interactive session with Dr Festus Ugwunze, Rivers State.

A cross section of the youths during the interactive session.

During the interactive session on Wednesday 6th April 2016, the over 50 youths (with equal number of male and female youths) of Marine base drawn from the Marine base youth leadership networks and youths from the seven (7) Marine base communities, urged the Ministry of Youth Development represented by the Director, Youth Development, Enterprise and Promotion, to strengthen the existing employment and empowerment process to make it more transparent, accountable and Inclusive.

According to the youths of Marine base ‘‘the system of using Rivers State national Youth Council and The Local Government Chairman to select beneficiaries for empowerment may continue to lead to abuse of the process and sabotage the gain therein; as the true beneficiaries may not be selected because the process may be unduly influenced.

They went further to urge that registered Youth Organizations should also be carried along as well as the use of radio, website and other channel of advertisement should be reinvigorated and strengthened.

Also, the Rivers State Youth Council and Local Government selection process should be monitored against set criteria developed by the ministries to adhere to standard.

The group also asked that provision should be made for the physically challenged and the marginalized as well as equal representation for both male and female youth members.

If employed as the Michael Chidozie, Programme Officer of the project stated will go a long way to strengthen recruitment and empowerment processes thereby ensuring that everyone is given equal opportunity.

The Director on behalf of the Ministry of Youth Development thanked the youth group for the decision to reach out to the Ministry for the interactive session which will continue monthly. He highlighted the political influence that plays into the process but promised that changes recommended will be appropriated periodically.

He nonetheless assured the group that his agency has already begun integrating transparency, accountability and inclusivity into its programmes but promised that they will continue to work to improve the process.

He highlighted the recent upgrade of their website which now allows every River state youths to register and apply for empowerment opportunities online.

He reiterated that the selection process has been designed to engage youth according to first to register basis with consideration for local government spread.

He lauded the youth group for taking up such selfless assignment and asks for cooperation and continuous communication between both body to see that back-hand practice will be eliminated from the Rivers State youth employment and empowerment programme.

He advised the youths to affiliate with the National Youth Council in the respective LGA and other youth cohort bodies in the state to strengthen information channels and strong relationship to positively influence perceived backhand practices and put an end to them.

He advised the youths to always work hard and pursue their education as well as acquire the needed skills that will make their employable or create their own business thereby employing other youths and create wealth.

The Marine base Youth Leadership Networks finally agreed to work with the ministry to educate the youth on value reorientation and dissemination of employment opportunities to help achieve the goal of a transparent, accountable and inclusive youth employment and empowerment programmes in Rivers State.