Bayelsa women, youths list conditions to support guber candidate
The women and youths of Bayelsa state have outlined conditions to support a candidate of any political party ahead of the November 16 governorship election in the state.
According to them, they will queue behind any candidate that will agree to implement policies that enhance their well-being and work toward ensuring a violence free election.
They made the demands at a policy dialogue organized by the Girl Child Empowerment and Reproductive Health Initiative (GREP) in collaboration with National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Yenagoa.
The Executive
Director of GREP, Mrs Rosemary Owefawari, in her presentation, urged any incoming governor to work assiduously to improve the free maternal and child health care services in the state.
She also appealed for the upgrade of public health facilities and increased budgetary allocations to health institutions in the state
She said: “Access to business economic opportunities that drive trade and exchange is very slow for women denominated business both in the formal and informal sectors while there is a dearth of business incubation centers and accelerators programmes to promote entrepreneurship education and business development for women.
“There is also lack of access to loan facilities and seed grant to promote idea development and business growth for women, lack of sustainable vocational and technical skills training for single mothers and out of school women.
“That is why we urged the next governor to establish Bayelsa women business innovation, economic empowerment and development commission, build women vocational and technical development hub, create policies that will enhance access to loans, seed grants and adopt economic development policies for women innovators.
“We also called on any candidate that will emerge as the next governor to build and rehabilitate primary and secondary school structures in all local government areas of the state, and invest in the free education scheme for primary and secondary school children,” she said.
The youths position which was presented by the Executive Director, Fostering Achievement of Community Empowerment (Face initiative), Mr Inatimi Odio, urged the next governor to invest in industrial development.
The dialogue, which was attended by over 20 governorship aspirants afforded each of them to unfold their agenda for the development of the state if elected.