Niger-Delta Youth Conference - Groups - Action Tools

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From:	Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima [ profile ]
Subject:	Tackling the Niger-delta Challenge-Welcome!
Sent:	Oct 10th, 2008 - 01:59:49

	Dear colleagues, Welcome to the e-conference on Youth and Niger-delta development taking place from October 13-17, 2008! There are two things that should be borne in mind during the conference. 1. that the Niger-delta challenge pre-dates the present situation and dates as far back as pre-independence which led to the establishment of the Willink Commission. 2. that the present effort is to ensure that youth have an opportunity to express their main concerns and proffer practical solutions to the problems faced in the region. Discussions during the conference will focus on four main daily topics: Day 1. Tackling unemployment, employability and access to finance; Day 2. tackling youth well being, health and access to education; Day 3. tackling infrastructure development; Day 4. tackling criminality, building peace. The last day will be used to report back to the group and consolidate the report of the conference. To facilitate participation, the moderator will throw a question a day intended to stimulate discussion and get specific points of view. Nevertheless, participants are free to answer previous questions and to introduce new issues at any point. The purpose of this e-conference is to find practical solutions to the development problems in the Niger-delta region. At a recent workshop organized in Port Harcourt by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, participants agreed that the main problems include infrastructure development; specific youth targeted programmes and improved services. How do you think these can be achieved. Is there a need to phase development interventions? What are your suggestions on short, medium and long term development initiatives for the region? Are there innovative practices from other regions/ countries that can be beneficial to addressing the situation in the Niger-delta? The e-conference will begin with this brief opening statement by the moderator, after which participants are free to comment on the respective subjects to be discussed. In order to ensure the active participation of everyone however, I am sending the opening statement today, so as to allow an opportunity people who are able to send their contributions over the weekend. Please note that responses will be sent to the group as from 8 am on Monday October 13, 2008. The e-conference is not a forum for trading blames; it is a forum for finding practical solutions to the development of the Niger-delta region. The reports of this e-conference will be submitted to the technical committee on the development of the Niger-delta region sitting here in Abuja. The Committee will be briefed this morning (10/10/08) about the process. I am looking very much forward to a rewarding consultative conference this week. Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima Development Partnership International 4 Eleme Road off Eleme Junction, Port Harcourt 500001 NIGERIA http://www.developmentpartnership.org dabesaki (at) developmentpartnership.org Phone: +234 84 751 002 Fax: +234 84 751 002 Mobile: +234 805 518 2526 Blog http://blog.developmentpartnership.org

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