By Edoamaowo Udeme
The Westminster Foundation for
Democracy (WFD), a United Kingdom (UK) foundation, supported by European Union-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, (EU-SDGN), has executed the planned Training of Trainers on Voter Education by training 27 INEC Imo State officials to tally with its vision on #OurVotesCountsNG project.
With the aim of stepping down the training on the NYSC Batch B stream 2 Corps Members by training them on Voter Education, The Corps Members will form a Community Development Service (CDS) group, as they will use that grassroots advocacy project to reach out to the women and youth voter population.
Declaring the occasion open on behalf of the Imo state REC in Owerri the Imo State capital, the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Adedoyin said activities around dissemination of Voter Education can never be enough. Therefore, support is needed by the Commission to ensure that all communities are reached in Imo state.
The WFD program coordinator, Sola Folayan, described the role of the trainers who were INEC Assistant Electoral Officers
“You were specifically chosen due to your mandate to disseminate Voter Education at the community levels” she stressed
“Your activities will involve the sensitization, recruitment, training and monitoring of the Corps Members alongside the NYSC Local Government Inspectors”. Folayan said
The Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner for INEC, Prof Emeka Ezeonu who was present at the training noted that “#OurVotesCountsNG, is a timely project that will empower young people to be more conscious of the electoral process and their role in it”.
“All trainers should ensure that the Corps Members are well sensitized and equipped to disseminate Voter Education in their communities of primary assignments”. He urged
The Imo State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mr Sunday ARONI, was delighted that the Westminster Foundation for
Democracy vision on #OurVotesCountsNG project has reached out to the NYSC as Corps Members will have an opportunity to play their civic role.
“By virtue of our experience of working in collaboration with international development partners to reach the Corps Members in every local government, WFD, is the right partner to implement the #OurVotesCountsNG project”.
Dr Emeka Ononamadu, the. Enugu Résident Electoral Commissioner, who was also at the program to lend his voice for increased Voter education at the community levels, said “The goals of #OurVotesCountsNG will help to change people’s mindset on wrong democracy”.
“An informed electorate will ensure good governance that will lead to the development of the polity”.Ononamadu added
Ogenna Aguto Chika representing Owerri municipal eulogised the project stating that it was very timely.
“I am sufficiently equipped to support the Corps Members effectively”
“Some of the challenges the Corps Members might face have been addressed by the training and we will see to it that they are well trained to handle it”. he added.
The Voter Education CDS sub group, is the first of its kind in Nigeria and its under the NYSC main education CDS group.
The Corps Volunteers are to carry out Voter Education dissemination via the CDS group.
WFD that started the training in Abuja with 271 NYSC members, 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.
