Okana: Youth Group advocates Increased Transparency, Accountability in Employment, Empowerment Opportunities

By Our Correspondent

As part of its mission and objectives to promote transparency, accountability and inclusivity in the design, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of youth empowerment and employment programmes in Rivers State, a youth group known as Okana Youth Leadership Network has tasked the Rivers State government headed by Chief Nyesom Wike on job creation and creating a level playing ground for youths in the State to access these economic opportunities. This was part of the outcomes of the interactive sessions of the group held recently at Okana in Abua /Odual LGA 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 Okana, Marine base and 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.

The youth networks also urged the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Youth Employment and Empowerment to strengthen existing laws and monitor recruitment and empowerment processes, to ensure that everyone is given equal opportunity.

The interactive session/training had in attendance over 40 youth Leaders/youth network bodies in Abua/Odual LGA. The occasion was attended the National Youth Council, IYC chairman, as well youths from several other youth organisations in the state. At the end of the interactive session, the youths agreed as follows that:

1. Transparency, accountability and inclusiveness should be considered paramount in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of employment and empowerment opportunities in Rivers State to ensure peace, build trust and sustainable socio-economic prosperity.
2. Programmes of the state government should target on job creation and entrepreneurship especially in agricultural sectors with youths as core beneficiaries.

1. The Rivers state Government, its ministries, agencies, local government secretariats, National Youth Council of Nigerian, Rivers state and LGA chapters, all community youth organisations and voluntary organisations working on youth employment and empowerment should as a matter of priority consider the importance of designing , implementing, monitoring and evaluating programmes in a transparent, accountable and inclusive manner. This will help to build trust, reduce grievances associated with poorly designed and managed youth employment and empowerment programmes.
2. Youths should always non-violently engage government and its agencies and companies on youth employment and empowerment opportunities by using advocacy as a tool for evidence based results.
3. The National Youth Council in the state and local chapters should always employ transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in the design and delivery of youth employment and empowerment opportunities sublet to them for the youths of the state.
4. The Directors present encouraged the youths to learn skills to enable them build small business of their own, access monetary support and compete for available opportunities in the state , when it arrives. They also agreed to send the message to the commissioner and promised to always upgrade their processes to carry every youth and youth organisations along.

They further called on Heads of Government Agencies to put youths searching for entrepreneurial and technical trainings in their agenda in 2016 through a transparent, accountable and inclusive recruitment and empowerment process by passing into law the Rivers State Youth Development Board bill recently sponsored by the National Youth Council, Rivers State chapter and other youth bodies in the state.

About the Network

The Okana Youth Leadership Network was formed in 2014 by the youths of Okana community 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.