By Correspondent.
As political climate in Nigeria gathers momentum and citizens warm for 2023 general elections, the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Mrs Ene Obi youths, has stessed the need for Nigerian youths of voting age to register and obtain Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to enable them vote for candidates of their choice.
She stated this on Friday at the passing out parade and graduation of 500 Peace Ambassadors of the 2021 Youth Peace Camp in Doma, headquarters of Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
According to Obi,by so doing was the only way they could participate in the decision-making process of the country.
She, however, admonished the youth to resist the temptation by selfish politicians to lure them into being used as agents of election violence.
The Country Director reminded youths that they owed the Nigeria patrotic duty to promote peace and unity in the country.
Obi said: “Your registration is your participation in the governance process and your voting makes you contribute because governance is for the people and by the people. So if that is the case, election is one of the easiest ways you can choose your leaders.
“One of the essence of being a peace ambassador is to look at the value of life, so when a life is lost, a mother is hurt. ActionAid Nigeria believes in the quality of the human life. We believe that we are all equal.”
The country director disclosed that the organisation had trained 1,500 Peace Ambassadors within three years, as part of its System and Structure Strengthening Approach against Radicalisation to Violent Extremism (SARVE II) Project, through capacity building and skills acquisition, to enable them become self reliant.
The Permanent Secretary,State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Kassim Suleiman, advised the peace ambassadors t preach the language of peace among their families, communities and the state at large.
Represented by the Director !of Youth, Mr Abubakar Umar, he further urged youths to try as much as possible advise their parents on the need for peace, anchored on the concept of mutual respect,tolerance and appreciation between husband and wife and transcend such value to the larger society.
The Permanent Secretary louded ActionAid Nigeria and its partners, for prioritising the needs of the youth and assured them of the state government’s commitment to developing the youth to make them employers of labour.
Earlier, the Executive Director, Global Peace Development, Mr Ebruke Esike, said the camp was to create the culture of peace among youths and ensure that they were equipped with adequate capacity for mitigating conflict in their communities.
Ebuke added that the programme was in line with the United Nations Resolution 2250 aimed at building a strong youth force that would enable contribute their qota to peace processes and conflict resolution at local, national, regional and international levels.
Our Correspondent gathered that ActionAid Nigeria, in partnership with Global Peace Development and Beacon Youth Initiative, organised the event with the theme: ‘‘Shaping Peace Through Harmonious Cohabitation’’ while Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) founded it.
Participants, consist of youths from 12 communities in six local government areas of the state, where the SARVE II project is being implemented attended the camp.
