WFD RECRUITS, TRAINS 271 NYSC MEMBERS ON VOTER EDUCATION

Date:

…forms CDS group
 
By Edoamaowo Udeme
 
The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) supported by European Union-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, (EU-SDGN), has recruited and trained 271 National Youth Service Corps Members (NYSC), on Civic and Voter Education (CVE) as part of its “#OurVoteCountsNG project”. 
 
Declaring the event open at the Kubwa Camp of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, The NYSC State Coordinator, Alhaji Balama, lauded EU-SDGN and WFD for their efforts towards strengthening democracy in the country.
 
“The youths in Nigeria today make up 63% of the eligible voting population and we must join hands to ensure that their vote counts”. Balama stated.
 
“NYSC is a program centered on building national unity through their Community Development Program (CDS),  and it has been able to build various skills and actualize potentials in individuals and we are happy that WFD has identified the potential to train youths at the grassroots level with the use of the CDS”. Balama stressed
 
The  WFD Country Director, Adebowale Olorunmola,  while thanking the NYSC, noted that the program involves the recruitment and training of corp members to carry out voter Education Community Development Service (CDS).
 
“This Voters’ Education CDS sub group, is the  first of its kind in Nigeria and its under the NYSC main education CDS group and the Corps Volunteers are to carry out Voter Education dissemination via the CDS group” Olorunmola noted
 
 Funded by the EU-SDGN, the project aims to  support democratic governance in Nigeria. “The participation of youth in the electoral process is very crucial and important to make the vote of young people count”.  he stated.
 
Olorunmola stressed that “Youths are often engaged by politicians and political parties and used as foot soldiers by politicians for protection, thuggery and ballot box snatching, intimidation of opposition candidates and parties as opposed to conducting their civic right of participating in the electoral process”.
 
“To combat this menace, WFD has sensitized corps members through Voter Education CDS Sub-group as a grassroots advocacy project to reach out to the youth voter population”. He added
‘WFD in partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has designed an intervention to use targeted peer-to-peer civic and voter education to encourage youth participation in the electoral process in a meaningful way”.
 
“In line with the objectives of EU-SDGN and WFD, the program will support sustainable democratic growth through citizen participation and strengthen institutions capable of accountable governance  and the CDS group will set the foundations for responsible, participatory and engaged youth citizens who may later constitute members of parliament”.  WFD country director stated.
 
The training program implemented by WFD and INEC aims to increase the interest level of youths in the electoral process and enhance their commitment to a representative and inclusive democracy.
 
The activity will be executed in FCT, Osun and Imo States. The implementation  has started with the NYSC Batch B stream 2 mobilization.
 
WFD’s engagement in Nigeria is aimed at supporting sustainable democratic growth through inclusive citizen participation and strengthened institutions capable of accountable governance.
 
WFD is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the UK. Established in 1992,  and provides expertise in developing parliaments, political party structures and civil society organisations- the key institutions that make up a functioning democracy.
spot_img

Share post:

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES YEYE OLUFUNKE DANIEL ON HER 60TH BIRTHDAY

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES YEYE OLUFUNKE DANIEL...

Ibiono Ibom Born APC Stalwart Based In USA Felicitates With His New Chapter Chairman

Ibiono Ibom Born APC Stalwart Based In USA Felicitates...

KILLERS OF OUR OFFICERS IN DELTA STATE HAVE MURDERED SLEEP – POLICE BOSS

KILLERS OF OUR OFFICERS IN DELTA STATE HAVE MURDERED...