By; BUHARI B. BELLO, Jos
UNDP in collaboration with the governments of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states have trained a total of 850 youths on the Integrated Regional Stabilization of the Lake Chad region.
Country Director of UNDP, Samuel Bwalya represented by Mr. Mathew Alao said the programme is designed to strengthen the capacity of the youth, held at Citizenship and leadership Training Centre Jos.
He explained that the training which was funded by German government was aimed at assisting countries of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria bedeviled by the insurgency .
“This programme consolidates other UN and UNDP interventions in the Northeast to ensure sustainable rehabilitation and settlement of victims and the communities.“
According to him, the UNDP intervention in the Northeast focuses on reconstruction, rehabilitation of public infrastructure.
The Country Director added that restoration of livelihood for conflict affected areas is their major concern including access to justice and rule of law.
He said that the interventions are designed to strengthen in the early recovery components of humanitarian response in the region in partnership with the government and the International donor community .
The Director General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Mr. Jonah Bawa said youth have been recognized to be enormous part of any society.
He described as “ very painful that various socio-political menaces such as violent destruction of lives and property in north-east ”.
According to him, “ the federal government is taking the fight against insurgency very serious then ever before“.
He said UNDP as partners to the development of the nation, “youths should see themselves as potential victims and take the interest of their community“.
In a welcome address, the Unit Coordinator, Malam Abdulmumini A Maimako said the youth in the Northeast played a crucial role in helping the military during their operation in the region.
“They have also demonstrated courage and support for government by helping the military in identifying and arresting Boko Haram members. “
He noted that the youth operated alongside the army in the bush where the Boko Haram militants were hiding.
On his part, the course officer, Mr. Oluwasola Elisha Segun explained that “the training was designed to change the mind set, behaviors and attitudes of the participants to be trained and empowered in various skills“.
He said, on arrival at the centre, the youth were exposed to various leadership courses, including techniques for conflict resolution and peaceful co-existence in the Northeast.
Other courses he said included rope obstacle, parachute jump, wall and beam, assault course, rock climbing,team work and rafting watermanship.
