ActionAid tasks youths on ICT for good governance

The Action Aid Nigeria (AAN) has urged youths in the country to leverage on the potentials of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to promote transparency and accountability in governance in the country.

The AAN Country Director, Ene Obi gave the advice Tuesday in Abuja at a Digital Campaign, Engagement and Advocacy for Change Bootcamp organised by the AAN in collaboration with ActionAid Denmark (AADK), and Global Platform Denmark (AADK).

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Obi represented by the Director of Programmes of the organisation, Mrs. Suwaiba Muhammad Dankabo, said the training was to impact the participants with the adequate skills needed to access information.

According to her, this would foster national development and also use the digital space to counter fake news, Misinformation and disinformation during the election campaigns.

On his part, the Manager, Governance Unit, AAN, Mr Celestine Odoh, noted that Digital Campaign Engagement and Advocacy for Change Bootcamp was designed to equip the youth with the requisite ICT skills that would enable them address the socio-economic and political issues affecting the country.

Some of the participants expressed optimism that they would deploy the skills acquired from the training in their various places of work to demand for accountability in their communities.

Participants from the Digital Engagement and Advocacy for Change Bootcamp were drawn from six states of Yobe, Akwa Ibom, Niger, Kogi, Enugu and FCT while others also joined the training virtually.

The digital campaign, digital engagement, and advocacy for change was part of series of activities scheduled under the SPA II project.

The SPA II project seeks to improved realization of basic human and democratic rights and improved, sustainable livelihoods, resilience and protection for young people, especially young women living in marginalization, including in disaster and protracted crises contexts in Nigeria.

The training was also to build the capacity of youths especially, young women on practical design tools needed for digital activism and campaigns, including campaign methodologies and the best practices that can be deployed for social change.