Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC) on September 12, 2019 organised a training and capacity development workshop for local government legislators in Rivers State.

The workshop which held at Visa Karena Hotel Port Harcourt was organised in collaboration with Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD).

(L-R: Fyneface Dumnamene, Executive Director, Advocacy Centre, Barr. Ade, CISLAC and Hon. Court, Leader, Khana Legislative Assembly and Coordinator of the Councilors)

The 1-day training and capacity development workshop focused on building the capacity of the local government legislative assembly members on law-making processes, conflict resolution and peace-building mechanisms.

Speaking at the workshop, the executive director of CISLAC represented by Barr. Adeshina Oke, a member of the Board of Trustees said the training program was aimed at improving the capacity of local government legislative Assembly members who are at the grassroot and that such training would go a long way to strengthen their capacity for both law-making and peace-building, urging the councilors to take the training serious. In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of Advocacy Centre, Mr. Fyneface Dumnamene thanked the Councilors for making themselves available for the training that would improve their capacity on law-making processes, conflict resolution and peace-building mechanisms.

(Comrade Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, Executive Director, Advocacy Centre speaking at the workshop)

Mr. Fyneface stated that the training would enable the Local Government Legislators contribute to peace processes in their communities, wards and local government areas and thanked the Coordinator of the Forum of Ogoni Councilors, Hon. Lekia Court Nwanikpo who wrote to YEAC and requested for the capacity building workshop for its members as well as CISLAC and CEHRD for collaboration and provision of funding support for workshop.

(Cross Section of participants at the training workshop)

Some of the participants asked questions, commended Advocacy Centre for the training workshop and shared experiences on the training as captured in these television reports on the program https://youtu.be/F1pdp12bapw  and https://youtu.be/J5MmnDjdM74

A total of 56 Legislative Assembly Members from Gokana, Eleme, Khana and Tail local government areas and four clerks participated in the training and would receive certificates of participation. The Local Government Legislators assured of using the knowledge gained to contribute to development at their council areas. Advocacy Centre would in the days ahead organize similar training for Local Government Legislative Assembly Members from other local Government Areas in Rivers State and beyond.

(A Cross Section of the Councilors that participated in the training workshop)