Liberia’s first female Vice President Chief Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor has suggested to the Young Political Leadership School of Africa to give keen consideration to civic voters’ education in order to allow students acquire knowledge that would prepare them to educate voters about the importance of their votes -a sacred power they usually give away in exchange for bags of rice or few dollars from politicians who often do represent their real interest.
“We need civic and voters’education especially as we go towards 2023 elections. Somehow, young people are still in the state of mind that their votes do not value what they want to see in the future. Their votes can be sold for bags of rice, US$10 or be shuttled from one place to another- often times upsetting elections in places where people have already decided who they want to vote for. If you are used to be trafficked from one part of Liberia to the other end, you’d lose twice: first, you would not decide who is elected in the original area where you live. So then, you come home and get frustrated because someone you didn’t want became the leader of your area,” she stated
Speaking at the opening of the Young Political Leadership School Africa in Monrovia on Monday, October 25, 2021, the Liberian first female Vice President said she is hopeful that the Open Society Initiative of West Africa (OSIWA) and other like-minded institutions would take her suggestion seriously by supporting aspect of the training that will focus on civic and voters’education across Liberia so that Liberians can make informed decisions.
Vice President Howard-Taylor indicated that the training represents a unique opportunity for the reframing of the minds of young people and pivotal to the country’s nascent democracy; more importantly, it is important for young people to take control of thier destiny and frame it and work it out to what they want it to be.
She encouraged the new cohorts of trainees to embrace the opportunity that’s made available to them with their whole heart.
“Your theme for this week’s training is “Leading with Integrity and Character for better democracy and good governance” -an issue, according to her, is a problem across the African continent. It is our responsibility as national and your charge as young people to change the narrative,” she stressed.
For his part, the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohammed Juldeh Jalloh said if there is any sector of the society that has greater stake in democracies across Africa, it is the young people of Africa.
” Female are the face of Africa and the young people of our society are the drivers to Foster good governance in Africa. The road to building a democratic society are base on knowledge, social intelligences , Respect and accountabilities,” Vice President of Sierra Leone noted.
He told the 8th cohorts that it takes knowledge and social intelligence to make the kind of impact that is so desired because it would enable them to understand their environment, people as well as build value systems.
“Make no mistake: you cannot fight for a better democracy without a value system. Another important element is character,” he emphasized.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of Naymote Partners and President of the Young Political Leadership School of Africa, Eddie D. Jarwolo said Africa is a rich continent but the only thing lacking is leadership.
“We cannot continue to have our brothers and sisters leaving to go to other continents only because we refused to make Africa a better place to live. We need to get people who will be elected to work for the people. We need people who will fight corruption, bad governance and exploitation,” he said.
