Plan-Sierra Leone spouses with WOCEGAR

In partnership with Plan Sierra Leone, the Women Centre for Good Governance and Human Rights (WOCEGAR), have concluded a one day capacity building workshop for 50 youths from Bombali Sheborah and Biriwa Chiefdoms in the Bombali District. The workshop was to provide an insight into the Local Government Act.

The workshop which took place at the Holy Trinity compound in Makeni was aimed at ensuring that youths are much involved in development programmes, especially in decision-making, empowering them to take leadership role and to stand for positive development in their chiefdoms.

The Chairperson for the workshop, Madam Jane Conteh advised the youth to take advantage of the workshop, noting that it will help them know when and how to take decisions.

Dilating on the purpose of the workshop, the governance project coordinator for Plan-Sierra Leone Abdul Rahman Swarray said Plan was known for its education and children’s programme but as at now governance has clearly indicated that priority must be given to youth for development to take place.

“It was against that backdrop that we have been holding meetings with youths both at rural and urban setting in the country to sensitize them, taking into consideration the fact that youth age is a very delicate one,” he stated.

Mr. Swarray said they partnered with WOCEGAR because their organization is really working toward ensuring that they build the capacity of youth at rural setting to know their roles and responsibility in good governance.

A representative from ENCISS, Mary Palmer, also called on youths to take the training with all seriousness as “it is only when you know your rights and responsibilities in your community that you will be able to make good decisions for development.”

The representative for the umbrella Civil Society Organization in Bombali, the Coalition of Civil Society for Peace and Development, deputy secretary, Salieu O. Koroma, emphasised on the need to always work as a team for development.

Mr. Koroma said for the past ten years the faces of Civil Society members remain the same which, according to him, is bad. He therefore called on the youth to make up their minds to change that face.

Salieu O. Koroma reiterated that there is every need to capacitate youths in the four sections in Bombali District and the country at large which will help in reducing corruption. He further appealed to the youth present to educate their colleagues when they return. 

In his keynote statement, the district youth focal person in the Ministry of Youth and Sport, Mr. Abdul Kamara (BUDU), congratulated Plan for working with WOCEGAR as he had known them for their role in developing youth, women and children.

The keynote speaker informed the youth that at present they are busy organizing the chiefdom youth committee leader elections which he said will be followed by the district youth elections for youth representation at the district council as an adviser on behalf of the youth.

Abdul Kamara urged the youths to be serious minded and developmental oriented and must ensure that they avoid violence which he said is the greatest enemy of good governance.  

Alusine Kabba -SEM

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