Greater Tomorrow Initiative Trains 26 Legislative Accountability Youth Champions in Akwa Ibom

A nongovernmental organization known as Greater Tomorrow Initiative (GTI), has trained 26 youths in various skills of engagement towards championing legislative accountability.

The training which took place on Monday, August 28, 2023 in Uyo was geared towards building the capacity of the youth to assist them function as Legislative Accountability Youth Champions at all tiers of government.

The training which was carried out under the Youth Participation in Legislative Governance project otherwise known as YouthPLAC (YPLAC) was carried out in partnership with Policy Alert and Order Paper.

In his remarks, the Executive Director of Greater Tomorrow Initiative, Mr. Ndifreke Patrick gave a broad overview of the project and the expectations from the Youth Champions in engaging robustly and effectively with their State Assembly Representatives. 

He noted that when dividends of democratic governance are not failed by the people, it is usually as the result of negligence or ill collaboration of the legislature with the executive hence the need for the legislature to be prompted or assisted to do their job effectively.

Patrick said the assistance can be given in terms of representation, policy making, and oversight functions on the executive, and also validating the critical roles the legislature plays in the democratic space and processes. 

The Executive Director charged the youth champions who have decided to volunteer on the project to bring value, integrity and responsibility to bear in the discharge of their contributions in legislative governance with the state legislators.

In a keynote speech delivered by the  Former House Representative Member, Etinan/Nsit Ubium/Nsit Ibom Federal Constituency, Hon. Onofiok Luke, commended Greater Tomorrow Initiative for the initiative and charged the youth champions to bring onboard value to the program and eschew vices that will be inimical to the success and positive outcomes for the project. 

Speaking through his representative, Mr. Udeme Okono, he recounted inaugurating a legislative internship programme in the Akwa Ibom State  House of Assembly to groom young people in the art of legislative governance, where he said he accomplished much by the success stories that came out from the programme. 

Luke charged the champions to impact positively to the quality of legislation by their respective representatives. 

During the training, different facilitators took the Youth Champions through varying sessions, ranging from legislative governance, role citizens must play in ensuring quality legislative governance, understanding advocacy, organizing for policy advocacy, and communicating with public officials.

 Other sessions included legislative accountability from a budget lens perspective, and social media and accountability in governance. 

The champions were taken through practical sessions on advocacy tools and how to use them in engaging with state legislators, and how to use social media as an effective advocacy tool to influence policy change. 

At the end of the training sessions, the Youth Legislative champions were enthused about the learnings and all promised to follow through in engaging with their legislators given the impacts this will have on their constituents. 

In an interview with one of the Champions, Lucy Eyo, a youth champion for Itu State constituency, she thanked the Greater Tomorrow Initiative for the opportunity noting that it has opened her horizon to legislative accountability.

She said ” The training was one of a kind as I learnt things I didn’t know prior to the training. Over the years, we seem to blame only the executive arm of the government for their inability to deliver excellently while leaving out the legislature who should carry out oversight. 

“The capacity building served as a stepping stone to the process of seeking accountability from the legislature. For me, my first step is to get acquainted with the House Member for my State Constituency, Itu, then engagements will begin from there.”

The 26 YPLAC champions who were screened and selected as volunteers originate from the 26 state constituencies in Akwa Ibom State and had to meet a basic set of requirements to be a part of the project. 

Meanwhile, the Youth Participation in Legislative Governance (YOUTH PLAC) Project is implemented by Greater Tomorrow Initiative under the Nigeria Youth Future Fund (NYFF) Project funded by LEAP Africa with joint support from Ford Foundation and MacArthur Foundation.

 The project seeks to foster improved and accountable legislative governance through youth participation and engagement. Twenty-six (26) youth champions are expected to engage with the state house of representative members to foster youth participation, promote youth engagement in legislative functions, and inform an improved accountable legislature.