Youth in Democratic and Inclusive Governance (YDIG)

Nigeria practices a democratic system of government in which power is vested in the hands of the people to elect their representatives at various levels of government (federal, state, and local government). It is sad, however, that since the re-entrenchment of democratic governance in the fabric of our society, the much anticipated or expected development has been moving at a snail’s pace and has almost been static. The reason for this is not far-fetched. A critical analysis reveals that misrepresentation, mismanagement of funds, lack of accountability, and transparency are some of the bane of development in this country. These challenges have been the lingering factor that is crippling the country’s socio-political and economic growth, and also depriving the citizenry, especially the youths of quality education, employment opportunities and a secured environment for business activities.

Building active citizen participation, especially of the youth, in accountability and governance processes (public finance, elections, legislation) at various levels is important if Nigeria is to deliver the dividends of democracy to its populace. Young people need the relevant tools, knowledge, and skills to hold the government accountable to provide responsive public service to Nigerians, especially for its youthful population.