Logo of Youth for Change and Social Life Development Foundation, use to demonstrate the story.
Abasifreke Effiong
Youth for Change and Social Life Development Foundation, a frontline youth-based NGO has announced that it will commence sensitisation on conflict sensitivity and election violence in Akwa Ibom State ahead of next year’s election.
The organisation said there are early signs of presumed violence across the country, and the need to address it through advocacy, awareness campaign, critical stakeholder and citizens engagement.
The NGO said the sensitisation themed, Strategic Engagement & Advocacy for 2023 Peaceful Elections Project (SEA-P) implemented under the LEAP Africa’s Nigeria Youth Future Fund (NYFF) sponsored by MacArthur and Ford Foundation.
Mr. Harrison Udim, project manager of SEA-P in a press release said the sensitization will be hold in six local government areas in the State and will also target political parties, candidates, political and religious leaders, youth and women groups, persons with disability clusters and media houses.
The NGO said violence can be reduced if the organised citizens and groups are engaged to sensitise their followers and supporters on the need to maintain peace during and after the election.
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The release states that the “SEA-P seeks to raise awareness of citizens on conflict sensitivity and election violence before, during and after the 2023 general elections through advocacy visits to relevant stakeholders’, town-hall meetings/ sensitization, capacity building, and use of media, to sensitize the public on how to maintain peace to help reduce conflict and violence all through the 2023 general election process.”
“The project will also vest citizens with information on how to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner all through the election period to avoid conflict or violence.”
The sensitisation will hold in Ibiono Ibom, Itu, Essien Udim, Ini, Eket and Onna local government areas, the release added.
