A two-day capacity building workshop has been held for members of the Delta State Youth Parliament, with a call on Nigerian youths to be more actively involved in politics and leadership.
The workshop with the theme “Understanding Legislative Procedures And Youth Engagement”,
was organized by the State Government through the Ministry of Youth Development.
The issue of Youths in the country to aspire for leadership positions through active involvements in Politics, took the center stage during the opening ceremony of the capacity building workshop.
The various speakers held same opinion that the youths must rise up to the challenge of getting themselves meaningfully involve in political activities.
The State Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Ifeanyi Egwuyenga while commending the State Government for constituting the State Youth Parliament, noted that the capacity building workshop was aimed at exposing members to the tenets of Parliamentarianism.
Mr Egwuyenga urged the youth parliamentarians
to see the platform as a school to enhance their knowledge and expose themselves on what it take to enhance effective legislation.
In a goodwill message to the ceremony, the Chairman, House Committee on Youths and Sports Development, Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Fred Martin’s, enjoined youths in the State to direct their energies towards useful ventures, including active participation in Politics.
Represented by the Member representing Isoko South Constituency 11 and Member of the Committee, Hon. Ferguson Onwo, the Lawmaker urged the State Youth Parliamentarians to take advantage of the workshop to enhance their political dreams.
Hon Martins who described the initiative for the capacity building workshop as a noble idea, stressed that there were much to learn about leadership, particularly at this age in the lives of the participants.
The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Legislative Matters and former Member of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Efe Ofobruku stressed the need for youths in the country to have positive mindsets towards Governance.
Hon Ofobruku in his presentation entitled “Participatory Governance and Rural Appraisal, Social Mobilization Mindset and Value Reorientation”, stated that the legislature remains the key symbol of democracy and commended the organizers of the workshop.
He maintained that there was the need to expose the young parliamentarians on the basic of leadership and governance, emphasizing that one of the major problems faced the country was recycling of old politicians.
The former lawmaker therefore urged the youths to take the challenge of changing the narratives seriously as the nation was in need of positive development.
Another resource person, Mrs Angela Onwaeze who spoke on the topic “Advocacy and Community Engagement Strategies”, said the country need peaceful and creative youths to grow.
She stated that one of the means towards achieving the desired goals is strong advocacy.
The Speaker of the Delta State Youth Parliament, Hon (Dr) George Owhoekevwo and other youth parliamentarians who spoke commended the Delta State Government for the capacity building workshop which they said had exposed them to some key tenets of leadership.
The opening ceremony of the capacity building workshop was attended by some top government functionaries, including the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of youth development, Ms Ngozi Mogbolu.