Established in 2017, YOUTHS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY CENTRE (YEAC or ADVOCACY CENTRE) is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and Not-for-profit Organisation (NPO) incorporated in Nigeria by Corporate Affairs Commission with registration N0. CAC/IT/NO 102679. ADVOCACY CENTRE carries out activities on different thematic areas including environment, livelihoods and indigenous rights; climate action and renewable energy; Human rights and peace-building; research, sensitization and empowerment; anti-corruption and good governance. YEAC uses a gender and human right-based approaches to ensure that its activities empower people and leave no one behind.
YEAC works in collaboration with individuals, media organisations, government agencies, local and international development partners and institutions to strengthen community-based advocacy in the Niger Delta region through multi-stakeholders’ engagements with media and legislative activism for development.
EFCC Anti-Money Laundering Compliance: ADVOCACY CENTRE is certified by Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) following successful registration in accordance with the provisions of Section 5(1) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). Thus the organisation is accountable and reports to SCUML, any transaction that is above One thousand dollars, detailing the payee, purpose and the other Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements. This is a legal obligation that we undertake to ensuring compliance with extant regulatory laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
ADVOCACY CENTRE is a tax exempt non-profit organisation. However, the organisation is statutorily required by both National and State Laws to register and obtain Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) as tax collecting organisation. As such, YEAC is dully registered with both Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as Withholding Tax Collecting organisation from Corporate Consultants with TIN: 20640617 and registered with Rivers State Board of Internal Revenue Service as both Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Individual Consultant Withholding Tax Collecting organisation. Under this obligation, YEAC is legally empowered to deduct taxes at source, from staff salaries (PAYE) and Withholding Tax (5%) on payments made to individual consultants/contractors to the organisation and remit same to the two tax authorities accordingly.
OUR FUNDING PARTNERS SO FAR
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
FYNEFACE DUMNAMENE FYNEFACE is an Environmental Justice Activist, Human Rights Defender, Facilitator of Platform for the Coordination of Niger Delta Ex–artisanal Refiners and Executive Director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC), a nongovernmental organization with over 10years experience. Fyneface has authored/co–authored over ten different publications (reports and books) on different subject–matters including Climate Change, Artisanal Crude Oil Refining, Ogoni Clean–up, Killing for Banana, Flooding, Photography, etc. and currently mobilizing and building a network of “One Million Youth Volunteers in the Niger Delta”. Fyneface had received professional training in journalism, environment, climate change mitigation, conflict resolution and peace–building mechanisms, etc. from both local and international organizations and institutions like the International Center for journalists(ICFJ) USA, United Nations REDD+ Academy, International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP–2018) organized by the United States Department of State, etc. He had addressed many local and international conferences including the media to draw attention to issues in the Niger Delta including the 71stSession of the United Nations General Assembly where he addressed world leaders alongside President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and pushed for the immediate commencement of the Ogoni cleanup with a view of extending it to other Niger Delta communities as soon as possible. He had also spoken as guest speaker at San Francisco State University(2016) USA; Californian State Legislature (2016), USA; Standing Rock, South Dakota, USA (2018); Africa Regional Conference on Biodiversity, Kenya (2019) and thrice at the Nigeria’s National Assembly in February and March (2020) on environment and Artisanal refining. Academically, Fyneface studied Educational Management and Political Science (2010) and Postgraduate Diploma in International Affairs(2014) from the University of Port Harcourt. In 2017, he was awarded a Master’s Degree in Political Science, International Relations and Diplomacy by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Apart from serving as the Executive Director of Advocacy Centre where his capacity has been several built by European Union and British Council under the Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT) Program, Fyneface works as fixer, research and media consultant to many local and international organizations and had so far consulted for Stakeholder Democracy Network, SOAS University of London, United Nations office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Aljazeera, BBC World Service, German National TV, VICE, New York Times, TrT World TV Turkey, etc. with weekly live radio appearances for advocacy. The Executive Director can be contacted via email at: fyneface@centreadvocacy.org
Blessing Rufina Porobunu is Advocacy Centre’s Finance and Administrative Manager (FAM) based at the head office in Port Harcourt in Rivers State. She oversees the financial activities of the organization’s other offices and works with Advocacy Centre’s Financial Management Consultant, Dr. Barine Lenee, B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Accounting, UNIPORT; ACA, ICAN on both internal and external auditing of the organization’s finances. Email: blessing@centreadvocacy.org
BERE LETAM NOBLE. He is a Project Officer working at the head office of Advocacy Centre. Email: noble@centreadvocacy.org
ENYONE ETILA-MAJAM: She is the Gender Desk Officer (GDO) at the Head Office of Advocacy Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Email: enyone@centreadvocacy.org
ISAAC OPIRIYABO-OFORI: Isaac hails from Touma community, Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. He has trained on HSE Levels 1, 2 and 3 at the Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, STCW at Charkens Maritime Academy, Rivers State University and currently finalizing a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Management at the University of Port Harcourt. Isaac had also attended trainings on entrepreneurship, alternative livelihoods for artisanal refiners and conflict resolution and peace-building mechanisms in the Niger Delta by Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, SPDC, etc. He has vast experience in the oil and gas sector where he has worked as operational and logistics manager, scaffolder general foreman, vending officer and Managing Director of Prisco Services Nigeria Ltd among others. Isaac has leadership experiences as Chief-Elect and having served in the famous Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) of the Niger Delta. He currently volunteers and working with Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC) as RIVERS STATE ADVOCACY OFFICER coordinating, sensitizing, mobilizing and registering of artisanal refiners for Modular Refineries in Degema Local Government Area. Isaac can be reached via e-mail: isaac@centreadvocacy.org;
PHILIP GODFREY: Philip hails from Otuasega Community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He is a human rights defender, environmental justice activist and Convener of Community Partnership for Peace, Development and Justice. Philip who read Development Studies at the Yusuf Usman College of Legal and General Studies, Katsina State had volunteers for Foundation for Employment of Nigerians with Different Abilities (FENDA) and serves as Advocacy Centre’s BAYELSA STATE ADVOCACY OFFICER and Head of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre’s Bayelsa State office located at No. 8 Chief Barr. Dikebi Lott Street, Opposite Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, Azikoro Road, Ekeki, Yenagoa. Philip coordinates activities of the office and artisanal refiners for Modular Refineries as alternative livelihood opportunities for Environmental Sustainability in Bayelsa State. Philip can be reached via e-mail: philip@centreadvocacy.org
ROSEMARY OFUNNEAMAKA ARAFIENA: Rosemary is a Real Women Foundation, Lagos-trained social worker, gender advocate, administrator, counselor and youth advocate with over 15years experience. She has worked as the Rivers State Coordinator of Wholistics Outreach, a faith-based nongovernmental organization and CEO of Rosiemarie Event Management and Planner, having been trained as an entrepreneur by Quantum Business School. Rosemary developed deep passion for children and teenagers’ rehabilitation, skills development and back-to-school packages from her time with Zaraphet Women Foundation Port Harcourt among others. Academically, Rosemary is a University of Jos trained graduate of English Linguistics and had worked with the Federal Capital Development Authority, Abuja where she did her NYSC and served as a Consultant to the United Nations, Abuja office under the UN Women Project on 35% Affirmation Action of Women in Politics. Rosemary is Advocacy Centre’s Abuja Advocacy Manager, representing, coordinating, managing and interfacing with individuals, government institutions and partner-organizations among others for Advocacy Centre. Thus, she is the head of YEAC’s National Advocacy Centre located at Mallam Shehu Plaza, N0. 35 IT Igbani Street (Jabi Upstairs), Jabi, Abuja-FCT reachable via e-mail: rosemary@centreadvocacy.org