SIXTEEN out of the 89 districts in the country have now established their District Youth Development Councils (DYDC) in partnership with the National Youth Development Authority (NYDA).
The NYDA is among the very few government agencies rolling out its programs and reaching out to the population in the districts as a result of the leadership of this organization now under the stewardship of Director General Joe Itaki.
Mr Itaki interviewed said the NYDA in partnership with the districts is establishing District Youth Development Council (DYDC) to create opportunities in life for our youths who have in the past years have being neglected due to lack of recognition and integration.
The DYDC once established will now work closely with Provincial Government and District Development Authorities (DDA) to mobilize all youths and have them registered in respective ways in the LLGs.
Last week saw the district youth councils launched in Kokopo District – East New Britain province and Kiuna – Western province.
The DYDC was launched in Kokopo in the presence of their local MP, Emil Tammur and other stakeholders including the deputy Provincial Administrator Nick Lame, LLG Presidents and the staff of both the district and at the provincial level.
Youths from all four LLGs through the electorate came together at NCL Lodge Takubar in Kokopo and attended a week long workshop to chart a way forward in maintaining peace and good order in their communities before the launching.
High on the agenda was the need to establish the youth council for the Kokopo district and that eventuated on the final day with all the youths from all wards and LLGs participated in the election of their LLG youth leaders before electing the district youth executives.
Mr Itaki said the entire process is consistent with NYDA Act 2014, hence the Provincial Senior Magistrate Samuel Lavatual was on hand to swear-in the youths.
Mr Tammur said his vision was to see the youths in his electorate to be productive and self- reliant and pleased that now his youths have a formal youth voice mechanism in the district, a platform on which youths can contribute meaningfully to development of the electorate.
“The future of Kokopo is in your hands so you must be proud that you have a role to play in respective societies,” Mr Tammur said.
The MP announced that the DDA will fully support the youth council implement activities at the LLG level and to reflect his commitment.
He pledged K40, 000 to Kokopo DYDC which will see K10, 000.00 allocated to each LLG and vowed for further support going forward.
The NYDA has acknowledged the efforts of Mr Tammur in ensuring all youths from his electorate are recognized and served in a formally structured way.
Mr Tammur thanked the director general for the leadership of NYDA and for the partnership approaches undertaken by NYDA by making it possible for youths to have a formal youth voice mechanism in the districts.
In the North Fly District, DYDC was launched in Kiunga with the support of AusAid JSS4D, Western Provincial Government, North Fly District Development Authority and NYDA.
It was highlighted during the launching that the youths around the Kiunga area have missed out on a lot of opportunities in life for many years due to lack of leadership.
The council will now work closely with Provincial Government and DDA to mobilize all youths and have them registered so that under this partnership, will enable youths to participate in life changing activities like youth SMEs and so forth, and gain the formal recognition as a legal entity.
The Provincial Administrator for Western Province Mr Kaiyun and the district Chief Executive Officer (CEO) were present to witness the launch.
Mr Itaki on behalf of NYDA has extended his acknowledgment to AusAid JSS4D for the great support and partnership in the youth space.
He is looking forward for more of such partnership in the remaining districts and provinces throughout the country.