By ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo –
Stakeholders drawn from various sectors have pledged to support efforts towards the establishment of a development fund as a central financing mechanism for youth activities in Akwa Ibom State.
They agreed to facilitate and secure executive assent for the Akwa Ibom youth development fund bill.
They also backed the setting up of a youth parliament for membership whose ages range between 15 and 35 years to be integrated into the youth advisory board to foster legislative engagement and policy input from youth.
This was part of the resolutions reached after a two-day roundtable stakeholders meeting for the review and validation of the state youth policy and youth development roadmap which coincided with the international youth day celebration.
They also resolved to “create a five-year strategic financing and implementation plan with clear roles for all stakeholders and a performance review mechanism,’’ while planning to extend the youth age limit to 40 years for persons with disabilities and provide inclusive modalities for all programmes to combat impairment barrier interactions.’’
It noted the need for a comprehensive disability law that would help safeguard the rights of youth with disabilities and the inclusion of non-indigenes who have been residents of the state for up to 7 years in community-based youth programmes to strengthen cohesion and prevent marginalisation.
Resolving to “facilitate access to affordable finance, market, and business development services for youth-led enterprises as well as ensure a monitoring, evaluation and learning framework, to track progress and to ensure transparency and enable course correction, “they also agreed to ‘promote “capacity building and skills acquisition in agriculture,Information and Communication Technology (ICT), renewable energy and the creative industry.”
They reaffirmed their commitment towards strengthening youth engagement in peace building, governance and environmental stewardship in line with the Sustainable Development Goals while working for the realization of the vision of an economically vibrant, innovative and inclusive Akwa Ibom state where youth would be the drivers of development.”
The communique was endorsed by Ekerette Ekanem, a medical doctor and commissioner for youth development , Faith Paulinus of Policy Alert , Peace Edem of Youth for Change Initiative and Edidiong Peter, a lawyer from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) among others.
Others include Enoabasi Emah from Sheedx Africa, Theodore Williams, a lawyer and from the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ntokon Idiongobong, Edo State Coordination, National Association of Voluntary Uniform youth organisation and Oku Amos, youth activist.
