The Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI) youth organization has emphasized the need for adequate youth involvement in governance and electoral processes in Nigeria to equip them to take charge of the future.
The Executive Director of CATYCOI, Nonso Orakwe, made the point during a One-Day Community Action Simulation Plan (CASP) Training in Ebonyi State.
The training targeted empowering young people to engage actively in policy advocacy and leadership.
During the training, Orakwe said the CASP training is structured to provide practical advocacy skills, stakeholder mapping strategies, and approaches to influencing policy change.
Noting that similar trainings had already been conducted in Anambra, Abia, and Imo States, covering the entire Southeast region, Orakwe listed areas participants were to explore, including understanding advocacy, electoral reform priorities, stakeholder engagement strategies, and practical advocacy approaches.
Expressing commitment to championing electoral reforms and spreading the message of YERP 9ja in the State, participants raised certain expected challenges, including limited resources and personnel to expand the simulation exercise across all 13 LGAs in Ebonyi State.
“We also have difficulty accessing remote areas, which restricts wider participation; resistance from some stakeholders skeptical of electoral reform initiatives as well as cultural and social barriers which limit engagement, particularly among marginalized groups,” they said.
The Program Manager, Israel Orji, commending the participants for their active involvement in the training, pledged the organization’s willingness to partner with the youth to address the challenges.
“Your enthusiasm and commitment underscore the impact of this initiative in fostering a generation of young advocates dedicated to electoral reform in Nigeria,” he stated.
Orji canvassed for advocacy visits to relevant stakeholders in the State, which he said would commence within the month, and inclusive stakeholders’ engagement meetings to ensure representation from diverse groups.
He said that under this drive, community leaders and organizations will be engaged in navigating the cultural and social nuances that affect electoral reform. At the same time, partnerships will be formed with local authorities to integrate electoral reform initiatives into existing structures.
