By: Aruna Kamara (BO)
Youth Empowerment and Development Agency Sierra Leone(YEDA-SL) with the motto ‘Changing the World’ in collaboration with Civil Society Youth Forum in Bo District has celebrated International Youth Day, on August 12, 2022 with a Youth Symposium on the theme: “Youth Voter Education, Registration and Awareness Raising”.
Speaking at the youth Symposium that was interlude with a Peace Song performance by Rev. Justine Marva, which took place at the Child Reintegration Centre (CRC) Hall in Bo on Friday, the Voter Education and Training Officer of the Electoral Commission Sierra Leone, Anthony Aiah Senesie said that the registration process starts on the 3rd September and ends on the 4th October, 2022.
He thanked YEDA -SL and other civil society youth led organizations for complementing the effort of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone for using the International Youth Day to educate the public on voter education, and registration.
Mr. Senesie encouraged the youths who meet the registration criteria to present themselves for the voter registration, pointing out that the criteria to register include: you should be a Sierra Leonean, be 18 years above or to be 17 years but will be 18 on the day of the election, must have not been convicted of any criminal offence and you must not be Lunatic.
He said that one can raise concern with the commission if one notices somebody who did not meet the criteria to be registered or there is problem with his/her registration process.
Mr. Senesie said that more registration centers have been created to enable eligible registrants turn out in large numbers to register.
The Chief Executive Officer of YEDA-SL, Phillip M Rogers, said that every year they celebrate the International Youth Day which the United Nations designed for the youths to ensure that that the youth are recognised and this year’s celebration they decided to look at the role of the youths in voter education, registration and awareness raising.
He said that some of the youths have held the opinion that they will not register to vote because of the economic hardship in the country but as a civil society youth led organization they want to encourage people to come out in large numbers to register.
He added that if people want to change the government, it should not be through violence means but through the ballot box.
The Chairman and the Co-chair of the Voter Education Symposium, Sofian Senesie and Samuela Senesie pleaded with the youths not to allow politicians to use them to perpetuate violence and called on them to register to vote in order to change their ugly situation through the ballot box.
Madam Samuela Senesie said that politicians are business people and the youths should not be allowed to be used as a commodity to be sold for their selfish interest and therefore encouraged the youths to be ambitious to be involved in productive activities.
Police Constable Daniel Marrah who was the representative from Sierra Leone Police in Bo cautioned the youths to stay away from violence and ensure that they go out peacefully to register during the voter registration period.
The Chairman of the Civil Society Forum in Bo District, Abdul Banya Brima said that the youths play a significant role in the development of the country and if the youths are to continue to contribute in the development of the nation, they have to register instead of allowing them to be used by politicians to wreak havoc in the society.
He however commended the youths in Bo District for being so peaceful and encouraged them to remain peaceful before during and after the voter registration leading to the general elections.
Hon. Shiaka Sama of Constituency 104 in Pujehun District commended the Civil Society Youth Forum for organizing the symposium on the International Youths Day set aside by the United Nations to reflect on youth engagement in Development.
He said the youths have a critical role to play in the development of the nation and advice to ensure that they become ambassadors of peace not to allow bad politicians to use them as a tool to unleased violence in the society.
Hon Sama noted that it is the rights of the youths to vote and to be voted for and they can only participate in the election when they are registered.
The representative of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, Tawo Kamara encouraged the youths to be focused and be ambitious to pursue their sets goals in order to contribute meaningfully towards the development of the nation.
The Regional Convener of Civil Society in the Southern Region, Mustapha Kpaka encouraged the youths to say no to violence as they entered into the electoral period starting with voter registration.
A senior statesman and Businessman in Bo Sam Goba lauded the initiative of Youth Empowerment and Development Agency (YEDA)- Sierra Leone for organising the voter education ahead of the general elections, and pledged his support to the voter education, registration and awareness raising drive.
The Executive Director of Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society(WAVES-SL), Madam Yambasu reminded the youths of the ten years civil war in the country that brought destruction and untold suffering to the people, particularly the youths, women and children and cautioned that they do not want a repeat of the war in Sierra Leone.
She therefore advised the youths not to allow politicians to use them to cause mayhem in the society and implored them, particularly the female youths and women to turnout in large numbers to register, so that they will have the right to vote in the 2023 elections.
The National Coordinator of Civil Society Youth Forum, Madam Rassie Bah encouraged other youth led organizations to join the Civil Society Youth Forum to help to transform the minds of the youths to think positively towards their development and the nation.
The Youth Voter education and Registration Awareness Raising, she said is key and called on more youth serving organizations to join the drive as YEDA is doing in collaboration with the Civil Society Youth Forum.
The keynote Speaker, Paul Duwai, said that youths are valuable resources that could be used positively for the development of the nation, adding that there should be more investment in the youths in order to meaningfully contribute towards the development of the country.
