By Chris Chikelue
The Anambra Youth Accountability Hub (AYAH) has trained young people drawn from the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Anambra to promote transparency, accountability and good governance.
The two day training, tagged “Training of Anambra Youth Accountability Fellows”, was held from Oct. 27 to Oct. 28 at the Anambra Patriot Office, Awka.
Declaring the training open, the Executive Director of Creative Minds Centre for Youth and Community Development (CM-CYCD) and Project Lead of AYAH, Mrs Ugochi Freeman, said the initiative was designed to equip young people with the skills to participate in monitoring public projects and promote accountability in governance.
She said the six month initiative, supported by the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF), was aimed at strengthening youth participation in public project monitoring across the state’s three senatorial zones.
According to her, the project targets 50 accountability fellows, who are expected to monitor and document at least 100 public infrastructure projects.
Freeman said young people, when properly informed and equipped, could contribute to improved public service delivery and more accountable public institutions.
Facilitators from various government institutions addressed participants on topics including good governance, the rule of law, advocacy, corrupt practices and objective reporting.
The sessions also highlighted the need for participants to understand institutional responsibilities and observe legal boundaries when engaging public institutions.
Speaking on the Anambra State Anti Corruption Strategy (ANSACS), Barr. Lilian Osakwe of the state Ministry of Justice, who is also the strategy’s secretary, discussed its role and that of the Rule of Law and Anti Corruption (RoLAC) programme in promoting accountability in government institutions.
She said RoLAC was aimed at supporting the development of a corruption free and equitable society while positioning the state as an attractive investment destination.
Osakwe emphasised the importance of objective implementation of anti corruption measures in tackling corrupt practices.
In a goodwill message, the Resident Anti Corruption Commissioner of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Anambra State, Mr Dio Emmanuel, represented by Superintendent Samson Sanni, described integrity and accountability as foundations of good governance.
He said corruption thrived where integrity was weak and accountability absent, adding that young people had an important role to play in promoting transparency.
“ICPC’s mandate is to fight corruption through enforcement, prevention, and public enlightenment, but we cannot do it alone; we need youths like you to promote transparency, monitor public projects, ask the right questions, and engage constructively and lawfully,” he said.
The Creative Minds Centre for Youth and Community Development is a non governmental organisation focused on promoting good governance, accountability, social justice, human rights, child protection, gender equality, water, sanitation and hygiene, and sustainable community development.
Chris Chikelue is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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