GOOD GOVERNANCE WORKSHOP IN ABA, ABIA STATE , NIGERI

[Ogaga E. Maxwell]

 

Ogaga E. Maxwell of GYACN Nigeria collaborated and served as the lead facilitator in a good governance and democracy-training workshop in Aba, State, Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

 

The project Democracy Series: Participation-Learning and Active Youths  (DESPLAY).DESPLAY is knowledge based and an activity oriented youth program that brings together youths from different African countries to deepen their democracy knowledge and foster active youth participation in good governance processes, since date their have been participant from Liberia, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa and Nigeria. Since its inception in 2005, DESPLAY has directly trained over 300 youths across Africa. Uniquely, DESPLAY has a peer education transfer component that allows participants to train over 25 youths in their communities who did not have the opportunity to be part of DESPLAY training. This project is called pass it on (Pio)

 

The Aba state pass-it-on (PIO) was  a 1-day workshop on “Engaging youths in the democratic process and understanding the role of Nigerian youths in sustained democracy and good governance” organized by Promise Ozuzu also a member of GYACN Nigeria.

 

Ogaga E. Maxwell the lead resource person took on the subject “When governance works”, the workshop was held at the NMA Hall of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital and in attendance were 40 Medical students, nurses and clinical students of the institution. during the discussion and presentation issues of corruption and how they affect good governance were adequately highlighted and was young people can contribute to anti-corruption activities was also talked about.

 

The aim was to encourage young people in the field of medicine to participate in the areas of good governance and contribute their quote to democratization, good governance in Nigeria.

 

After the presentations, their was a break out session, where they were asked to suggest practical and pragmatic ways in which young people can be involved in governance and contribute positively, it was an interesting time as they brain stormed and came out with practical ways in which young people can contribute to good governance. One of the major points looked at by the group was how corruption affects good governance and ways young people can engage in anti-corruption activities.

 

 

There was experience sharing and an interactive session for questions and answer.

 

Participants were also referred to several websites that could help them in their course for further growth in the areas of youth participation this includes: Youth Action for Change, Youngstars Foundation, World Movement for Democracy, United Religions Initiative and Voices against corruption.

 

The project had the support of AFRIGROWTH Foundation, Youths for Good Governance, All Nigerian United Nations, Student, and Youth Association (ANUNSA-ABSUTH).

 

Earlier on in the year precisely in January,  Ogaga E. Maxwell has also served as one of the co-facilitator of the main DESPLAY programme in Minna , Niger State that saw 35 participant present from every state of Nigeria and from Ghana, Cameroon and South Africa as international delegate. This was a step down of the main programme in Minna, by one of the attending participant Promise Ozuzu who is also an online member of GYACN Nigeria..