Youth Awake for Better Society (YABS), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has collaborated with the Imo Government to drive the review and development of the Imo Youth Policy.
The Programs Manager for YABS, Mr Christopher Oyamienlen said this shortly after the organisation’s visit to the Imo Ministry of Youth and Talent Hunt, in Owerri, on Wednesday.
Our correspondent reports that YABS is an NGO focused on promoting youth leadership, advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), harm reduction, and social justice.
Oyamienlen spoke as part of the “Art for Policy Accountability: Strengthening Collaboration to Advance the Review and Domestication of the National/State Youth Policy” project.
He said that the organisation was intensifying engagement with key stakeholders to ensure that the voices of young people were meaningfully reflected in policy frameworks.
He described the collaboration as “ a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to strengthen youth participation in governance and policy development in Imo state “.
He thanked the state’s Commissioner for Youth and Talent Hunt, Mr Emeka Mandela, for the “strong support and collaboration” of his ministry and for the formation of a technical committee to drive the development and review of the Imo Youth Policy.
“ This development marks a critical step toward institutionalizing youth participation and strengthening accountability mechanisms within the state.
“ YABS remains committed to supporting the process through research, youth consultations, advocacy engagements, and creative mobilization strategies that amplify youth voices across Imo.
“ We believe that with sustained collaboration between government and youth stakeholders, Imo State can develop a comprehensive Youth Policy framework that reflects the aspirations, priorities, and potential of its young population”, he said.
Speaking, Mandela said that the committee would serve as a multi-stakeholder platform.
He said that the committee would bring together government representatives, youth-led organisations, civil society actors, and subject-matter experts to ensure that the policy development process was inclusive, transparent, and evidence-driven.