New Telegraph

Training children in Lawmaking: The case of C’River Children’s Parliament

There is a raging controversy over whether the present generation of youths are willing to take up leadership roles in the country. This controversy stems from the fact that youths have been having”attitudinal problems” where drugs and other stimulants have virtually become ingrained in their blood system. This impression, although looks tenable, may not after all stand the test of time as there are youths who are determined to walk past their peers by preparing themselves for leadership challenges in future. Beyond their determination however, there are organizations that support efforts made by parents and teachers in helping to train and work on the moral and academic disposition of our children and by so doing assist them in discovering their inate talents. Fortunayely, some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are going for teenagers who have the capacity and are futurelooking in their determination to break from their non-challant peers. For instance, recently, a non-profit organization in Cross River State, the Save our Children International, had to scout for and identify some schools with some of the brightest children in the state and launch them into leadership experience by inaugurating the 5th Children Parliament in the state.

Sustenance Level

Indeed, it was quite interesting to sit out watching young boys and girls stand for election. After more than three days of training as parliamentarians, the stage was set for election. There was manifesto night where the youths, age between ten and fifteen, combed the Danic hotel rooms in search of their colleagues from other schools to disclose their plans and programs for a particular office and literally begged for their votes. Thursday, March 24, was the “public presentation” of the manifestos by the students who took the expansive hall at Danic hotel by storm. Supervised by the Ogoja field coordinator of Save the Children International, Mr. Effiong Akpan, the students, one after the other and depending on the offices they were vying for, the children presented their manifestos in very eloquent and deliberately planned manner.

Way Forward

Conscious of the fact that anyone elected into the parliament will have to meet and interact with students from other states,the children ensured that only the best among them were voted into the various offices ranging from the office of the Speaker to that of Ambassadors. Speaking to journalists after inaugurating the 5th Children parliament, the Ogoja Field Coordinator of Save the children International, Effiong Akpan said his organization, took up the responsibility of putting the parliament together after an agreement with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Women Affairs. Akpan said: “We discovered that children needed to get their voices heard. They are the leaders of tomorrow and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations recognizes the rights of children and there are ample protection for them in the SDG, but they need to be heard. The reason for the inauguration of the parliament is to train them to be able to conduct their affairs their own way. “By inaugurating them, we have been able to give them a platform to express themselves and will afford them the opportunity to interact with other children both within in the state and beyond. But nuch more than that, they will use the platform to learn the process of law making and with the resolutions they are expected to generate from the floor of the parliament, we believe they will use that to contribute to the state in particular and the nation at large,” the Save the children coordinator explained.

Akpan, however, warned the new parliamentarians to shun acts capable of bringing their various offices into disrepute. He said acts like belonging to a cult group, stealing and smoking or sniffing intoxicating substances must be avoided to add value to their job and serve as examples to their peers. The Save the children coordinator added: “Anybody who is known to be in the cult will be strpped of his or her office. It may not stop there as you could be handed over to the security agents. You are expected to be role models and you must carry your self as such,” Akpan told the young lawmakers.”

Appreciation

While thanking the Ministry of Women Affairs and that of Education for the collaboration, noting that without their support, It would have been difficult to get the 5th children parliament off the ground. Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade on Women Affairs, Dr. Gertrude Nnanjar Njar said: “Children Parliament is a platform through which children influence and share control and responsibilities over decisions, plans and resources which affect them and this can be achieved when they have regular interactions. She said until recently, children were virtually invisible in terms of making inputs into formulating public policies that affect them. Adding, “It is instructive to state that the establishment of children’s parliament represents a positive response to the need to listen to young voices and inculcate in them the values of democracy.” The election, which was conducted in a transparent manner to get the children familiarize themselves with the process of a free and fair election, produced fifteen year old Mevin Nicholas Broere of St. Patrick Technical College, Ugep as the 5th Speaker of the State’s Children’s Parliament, beating nine other contesta

Remarks

For the Deputy Speaker’s position, Osika Kachini Etim from Abi beat five other candidates with 24 votes to emerge as Deputy Speaker. Others who won were; Divine Somtobechukwu, House Leader (Akpabuyo); and Egor Okam Elias Deputy House Leader (Akpabuyo). Gabriel Elijah (Akpabuyo) was elected Chief Whip, while Enun Kanu Egwu got the position of Deputy Chief Whip and Ekpenyong God’s will Okon from Akpabuyo won as Clerk of the Parliament. A mock session of the parliament was held after inauguration where the Speaker was decked in the traditional attire of the conventional Speaker of a House of Assembly while the mace bearer demonstrated how she would carry out her duties, moving forward.

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