Youth Advocacy Cluster (YAC) is a coalition of more than 50 youth groups and youth-focused organizations have called for a stakeholders meeting which will create an opportunity to analyse and improve on the Akwa Ibom Youth Development Fund (AKYDF) bill.
The Akwa Ibom Youth Development Fund (AKYDF) bill serve as a framework for sustainable youth development and seek political/public goodwill for Akwa Ibom State House to pass into law.
The coalition is anchored by Youth Alive Foundation, a youth-focused CSO which seeks to redefine the role and contribution of the Nigerian youth in the development and governance processes in the Country.
The event is scheduled on the 11th of April 2018 at Duellaz Landmark Event Centre, Akwa Ibom.
In a statement released over the weekend, the group said: “Youths form the highest demography in the state, a strategic master plan for the economic empowerment of youths is highly necessary.
“There is need to have critical stakeholders make commitments in this regard that is why we are organising a policy dialogue tagged: Youth Development 2019 and Beyond which aims to gather and strengthen political/public commitments from governments and key stakeholders to prioritize investments in youth development in a strategic and sustainable way.
“The meeting will create an opportunity to analyse and improve on the Akwa Ibom Youth Development Fund (AKYDF) bill as a framework for sustainable youth development and seek political/public goodwill for Akwa Ibom State House to pass the bill into law.
“It will bring together government, policymakers from different ministries, private sector leaders, youth organizations, academics and youth representatives in Akwa Ibom state to consolidate their position and proffer integrated strategies for electoral candidates to adopt as they develop their manifestos in 2019 and beyond.
“A major component of the policy dialogue is the panellist session which will open discussion with government, the private sector, international development partners on the need to have a strategic plan for youth development in Akwa Ibom State. There will also be discussions around stakeholders’ involvement in the formulation and implementation of the policies that facilitate youth development.
“We believe that the policy dialogue will increase support for sustainable youth development frameworks like AKYDFBill, increase dialogue on elections and youth development in 2019 and increase awareness and understanding of the critical role that youths can play in the economic development of the state.”
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