Worried by high rate of corruption in the delivery of youth employment and empowerment programmes in Kogi
State, Ebira Must Be Better (EMBB) group has tasked the Kogi State government under Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello to ensure transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of
youth employment and empowerment programmes.
This was part of the resolution of the monthly meeting of the group in the year 2016 held recently at Okene town hall.
The meeting, which was facilitated by Lagos 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.
Mike Ojo and Kareem Salami, 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 Okene 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 Mike Ojo shortly after
the meeting.
The organisations also urged the Kogi 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 group disclosed that they are planning advocacy visits to the State Government, the Youth Employment and
Empowerment committee in the State House of Assembly and other ministries/agencies and enterprises early July to state their position and lobby the lawmakers to focus on the youths especially in area of making laws that will promote transparency, accountability and inclusivity in youth employment and empowerment during their legislative deliberations and functions.
“We believe that gainful employment for the youth will give them a voice of their own and make them good
ambassadors of our dear Kogi state. It will help them to shun violence”, said the president of Ebira must be better group, Comrade Danfulani Ohinoyi Lukman.
They further called on Heads of Government Agencies to put youths searching for entrepreneurial and technical
training in their agenda through a transparent, accountable and inclusive recruitment and empowerment process.
About Ebira must be better group.
The group were formed in 2011 by the youths of Ebiraland 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.
