Participants during the launch
By Kingsley Abavo, Benin
Josemaria Escriva Foundation (JOSEF) has launched the campaign to sensitize and educate the youths on participatatory democracy at the community level.
The Campaign termed: ‘Empowering the Youths to Stimulate Participatatory Democracy at the Community Level in Edo State’ is being organised under the Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT) programme .
ACT Programme is financed by the European Union and implemented by the British Council in collaboration with the Ekpoma based Josemaria Escriva Foundation, in the five local government areas of Edo Central Senatorial District.
While welcoming participants to inauguration of the Program at the Esan West Local Government Council Secretariat, the Chief Responsibility Officer of JOSEF Dr. Jude Obasanmi said it was meant to empower the youths in regards of their duties in a democracy.
This is in recognition of the fact that many of them are ignorant about their true roles before, during, and after elections.
Noting that Abuja the nation’s capital and Benin City the State capital are too far for those at the grassroots, Obasanmi pointed out that they could be empowered to constructively engage those at the local Government level to drive development.
“The project is aimed at empowering young persons, particularly the youths to stimulate what we have called participatatory democracy at the community level.
“This is because we realised that most of the time people complain that they cannot go to Abuja; they are unable to go to Benin, the State capital; but at the local level, we have the Local Government administration that they can constructively engage to drive development.
“Elections are coming, most young men just feel that their level of participation is at the point of maybe collecting N3,000 to snatch ballot boxes or voting for candidates who are not their choices.
“So, we want to tell them they have a right to participate in politics, to participate in ensuring that credible people are the only ones that are voted into office; that they don’t get themselves involved in thuggery activities or other programmes and tendencies that are not good for young persons”.
In his opening remarks, Head of Local Government Administration in Esan West Local Government Council, Engr. Emmanuel Ibhadode tasked the youths on the importance of enthronement of credible leaders who will be accountable to the people.
He urged, that they should not stand aloof after election but contribute by way of advice to aid the elected officials deliver, the needed dividends of democracy to the people.
“Most youths don’t understand that you have that power, we don’t understand our roles, what we are supposed to be doing during elections; you don’t know that power lies in your hands to choose your leaders.
“Not just choosing your leaders, even when the leader is there, be involved in decision making, if you are not involved, anything can go wrong”, he counselled.
The royal father of the day, His Royal Highness, Abumere 11, Onojie of Ekpoma cautioned the youths against hero worshipping and idolising those short changing them in the delivery of dividends of democracy.
The Onojie who was represented by Chief, Hon. Idoboiwa urged the youths to avoid showering unmerited praises on political office holders for paltry monetary gains.
Detailing essence of the programme, the project consultant, Dr. Bright Oniovokukor asserts that it was aimed at empowering the youths with information to enable them bring the transformation needed in their various communities.
He added that it was going to be a continuous process and not a one off thing.
“This particular programme is intended to stimulate the youths to come into this democracy whether before election, during election or after election.
“How their interest can be stimulated to actually participate in a manner that will bring development to their various communities.
“The approach we are using now is getting youths from various communities and empowering them with information and the wherewithal to go about advocacy, community mobilisation and a whole lot of things they can do in their communities”.
Also speaking, the Edo Central Coordinator of Persons Living with Disability, Racheal Iyeke lamented what she term: the discrimination of members during elections and other community activities.
She consequently called on elected political office holders to fulfill their electoral promises to persons with disability and carry them along in the scheme of things.
Two hundred persons are participating in the project comprising of forty persons from each of the five local Government areas in Edo Central Senatorial District.
Each block comprises of 16 males, females; two male and female persons living with disability.
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