The Rivers State Women and Youth Agenda represents the priorities of women, young people and persons with disabilities in Rivers State, based on online consultations and targeted consultations in 24 communities in four Local Government Areas in early 2022 including the We-YOU Ambassadors. The Agenda contains a range of actions which we expect electoral candidates, political party executives, and the leadership of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to commit to.

1. Make Rivers State a place where we are heard. 

Take action to ensure women, young people and persons with disabilities are better represented in politics and the democratic process, by: 

●  Adopting and implementing ‘affirmative action’ policies to ensure at least 35 percent representation of women in appointed and elective positions, and similar targets for youth and persons with disabilities.

●  Initiating and supporting bills that seek to create a position in every local government area (LGA) that is focused on addressing the needs of persons with disabilities in the State.

●   Calling on the leadership of political parties to adopt a permanent discount for the cost of nomination and expression of interest forms for women, youth, and persons with disabilities in party policies.

●     Signing up Rivers State to the Open Government Partnership; establish citizen consultations on the budget process, and make these budgets public and accessible for all, in line with the principles of the Open Government Partnership.

2. Make Rivers State a great place to work and invest. 

Diversify the Rivers State economy, plan for a post-oil future, and create sustainable jobs for us all, by: 

●     Harmonising the tax system, and abolishing the multiple taxation system, where citizens and businesses are charged several times by different official and unofficial agents.

●   Providing targeted support to new businesses owned by women, youth and persons with disabilities so they can become established, such as tax incentives and financial support schemes that offer loans and grants.

●  Establishing and fully resourcing skill acquisition centres in Local Government Areas beyond Port Harcourt in key demand areas such as poultry rearing, literacy, agricultural processing and boat building and repairs. 

●   Growing the agro economy by working with the private sector to establish hubs around Rivers State to process and add value to agricultural products, such as cassava and plantain.

●   Increasing investments in the creative industry and supporting the identification and development of local talent, for example, by reinstating initiatives such the Carniriv festival and Street2Star Talent Hunt.

●     Establishing scholarship programmes to support women, young people and persons with disabilities to participate in digital skills acquisition programmes such as computer programming, digital marketing, web development, content creation and graphic design.

●   Initiating a subsidised state-owned mass transport scheme (land and water) in collaboration with the private sector to create employment and business growth

●     Developing a plan to create viable alternatives to working in the artisanal oil industry. In addition to establishing modular refineries, increased attention should be given to jobs in clean energy 

●   Across all economic programmes, increasing the proportion of investment in rural areas to accelerate development and reduce urban migration pressure in Rivers State.

3. Make Rivers State a clean place to live. 

Clean up and restore the environment, and hold polluters to account, by:

●     Improving the waste management system and creating new recycling centres through a public-private partnership to properly dispose of garbage and incentivise recycling of paper and plastics.

●    #StopTheSoot: publish the technical committee report on soot pollution set up by the Rivers State Government and run a dialogue with civil society and citizens to agree on the recommendations and actions to be taken, and implement them.

●     Improving water drainage systems, and regularly clearing existing ones, to reduce the impact of heavy rains and flooding.

●     Initiating deforestation awareness programmes that will increase public awareness on the negative effects, and the need for widespread forest and mangrove restoration.

●     Using all appropriate opportunities to pressure the Federal Government to implement all gas flaring and oil spill remediation policies, including utilisation for power generation, and to end flaring by 2030.

●     Implementing a programme to beautify and restore beaches as centres for local tourism and recreation. 

4. Make Rivers State a safe place to live. 

Reduce harassment, and protect our lives and property - especially in rural and riverine areas, by: 

●     Standardising and digitising revenue collection systems in Rivers State to eliminate illegal activities of unauthorised revenue collectors.

●     Training local security networks on conflict resolution and peacekeeping, and establishing a rapid incident response mechanism with security agents - including an increased focus on  piracy and robbery on the waterways.

●     Establishing a Public Complaint Office at every police station so that citizens can provide feedback and lodge formal complaints.

●     Producing a costed plan and funding the actions required to implement the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), to  increase the efficiency of the justice system, decongest the prisons, and support victims of crime. 

Women and youth, including persons with disabilities, are underrepresented in politics and governance processes and their priorities are systematically neglected. 

It is time to support them now! 

Sign this petition and share with your network.