By Our Correspondent

Worried by high rate of corruption in the delivery of youth employment and empowerment programmes in Rivers State, 3 youth groups known as Okana, Marine base and Kpor Youth Leadership Networks have tasked the Rivers State government headed by Chief Nyesom Wike on integrating transparency, accountability and inclusivity in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of youth employment and empowerment programmes.

This was part of the outcomes of the last meetings of the groups in the year 2016 held recently at Kpor in Gokana, Marine base in Phalga and Okana in Abual Odual LGAs in Rivers State.

The meeting which was facilitated by Port Harcourt based Non-Governmental Organization known as Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development, CEHRD in conjunction with Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme NSRP, a programme of the British Council, was aimed at exploring avenues of ensuring that the youths in the community and its environs are meaningfully engaged through the youth empowerment and employment programs of the government.

Michael Chidozie and Queen Agba, CEHRD’s Project officers who facilitated the meeting on behalf of the organizations disclosed that the meeting was part of a youth empowerment project being implemented in Kpor and other communities in the state by the organization on behalf of the NSRP which is aimed at reducing violence in the society. “It is believed that if the employment and empowerment process is improved and youths are meaningfully and gainfully engaged, they will not have time to indulge in violence or restiveness”, said Michael Chidozie shortly after the meeting.

Among the issues deliberated by the community leaders and youths are:

The need to increase engagement with the relevant state and LGA agencies to improve youth employment and empowerment processes.

The need for communities to focus on alternative livelihood apart from oil by developing its natural resources.

That communities need to be more proactive in developing its resources by adding value to the service it provides. Thus giving them a competitive edge from other competitors.

The use of cooperatives as a reliable venture for sourcing funds from government and other funding agencies.

Communities support of the network’s advocacy visits in advocating for a more transparent, accountable and inclusive employment/empowerment process.

The community youth leaders agreed that they will intensify engagement with relevant agencies on youth employment and empowerment processes. As a follow up to the last meeting, there was success with the national youth council as they are looking forward to a larger stakeholders meeting where the issues of youth employment and empowerment policy will be reviewed and align for transparency and accountability for the NYCN in Rivers state and youths in the state. A date has not been reach but they will follow up to make this happen.

Also as a follow up to the last meeting, the community leaders reported that they are following up on the special adviser to the Rivers state governor on employment and empowerment to make sure the discussion and promise on creation of youth desks in all LGAs of the state becomes a reality soon.

The community leaders will look inward especially in the area of agriculture since it is a very lucrative income generating source which people have not been able to really key into. This will also enable them to monitor the process for transparency, accountability and inclusivity.

Consequently, they promised to mobilise their youths and employ creative ways and proactive measures in tackling unemployment and thereby help to reduce conflicts since people who are gainfully employed are productive people with less or no time to be involved in crimes and violence activities.

The community leaders agreed to begin visiting schools to educate the children in primary and secondary schools  in their respective communities and LGAs on the need to shun violence and build a peaceful and developed society.

The youth promised to follow up on the special adviser on employment and empowerment to make sure the youth desk is created and functional in the LGAs in the state; the setting up of cooperatives by community youth leaders and applying for the agricultural loans; trainings for community leaders interested in sensitizing children on value reorientation and non-violence action and commissioning; Increasing interaction with government agencies and NYCN on making the employment process more transparent, accountable and inclusive and monitoring the selection process and  disbursement of government loans for transparency, accountability and inclusivity.

This activity aimed at increasing the collaboration between community leaders and the network to reduce corrupt practices in the distribution of economic resources. The setting up of cooperatives by community leaders will in the long run aid the communities within the LGA secure a large grant to start up an agricultural venture which not only takes the need of the LGA into account but also create jobs for the people of the LGA. This in turn will reduce conflicts since more youths will be gainfully employed.

They further called on Heads of Government Agencies to put youths searching for entrepreneurial and technical trainings in their agenda through a transparent, accountable and inclusive recruitment and empowerment process.

About the Networks

The Kpor, Marine base and Okana Youth Leadership Networks were formed in 2014 by the youths of Kpor, Marine base and Okana communities through Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development with support from Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, NSRP to carry out enlightenment campaigns within the community on the importance of using non-violent actions in the demand for economic opportunities for the youths, enlighten communities on how to key into government’s employment and empowerment programmes, and advocate for an equitable distribution of government programmes within the community, L.G.A and senatorial district.