*Gift Johnbull, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, South-South Nigeria, engages with Bibi Oduku, Chairman of Guard Time Information, in the State House, Abuja
Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect
Hon. Gift Johnbull, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Community Engagement, South-South Nigeria, has met with Comrade Bibi Oduku, Chairman of Guard Time Information, in the State House, Abuja, FCT.
The Guard Time Information disclosed the meeting discussed possible areas of collaboration, aimed at expanding human rights advocacy, human capital development, youth empowerment, and community-based initiatives across the South-South region.
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The meeting focused on developing programmes that could strengthen communities, empower young people and women, promote responsible citizenship, and contribute to sustainable peace, security, and development in the region.
Hon. Gift Johnbull stated that the recent programmes and community-oriented activities of Guard Time Information had attracted the attention of her office, creating opportunities to explore strategic collaboration with the organisation.
According to her, such collaboration would prioritise initiatives capable of engaging youths, students, women, and other citizens in productive activities while creating greater awareness of the policies, programmes, and developmental efforts of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
She emphasised the importance of community engagement in strengthening peace, safety, security, social responsibility, and sustainable development, noting that citizens must be actively involved in initiatives designed to improve their communities.
Speaking at the meeting, Comrade Bibi Oduku expressed Guard Time Information’s readiness to collaborate with the Office of the SSA in strengthening human rights advocacy, civic education, drug-abuse prevention, crime-prevention awareness, and community development programmes across the South-South region.
He also explained that particular attention would be given to educational and awareness programmes in secondary schools, tertiary institutions working with the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, higher institutions with the support of the National Association of Nigeria Colleges of Education Students NANCES, the National Association of Polytechnics Students NAPS, the National Association of University Students NAUS, and communities to sensitise young people to the dangers and consequences of drug abuse, criminal activities, and other social vices.
Comrade Oduku further stated that the proposed partnership would promote human capital development through vocational training, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, and empowerment programmes targeted particularly at youths and women.
He said that equipping people with productive skills and economic opportunities could help reduce unemployment, youth restiveness, crime, and other social challenges while encouraging self-reliance and meaningful participation in community development.
The proposed collaboration would also seek to promote initiatives that strengthen the well-being of citizens, encourage peaceful coexistence, and create opportunities for people to contribute positively to the development of their communities.
Hon. Johnbull reaffirmed the commitment of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to inclusive national development, stressing that every region of the country should benefit from programmes and infrastructure capable of improving the quality of life of Nigerians.
She cited ongoing infrastructural development in the Federal Capital Territory as an example of the administration’s development drive and commended the FCT Minister for the implementation of various projects across Abuja.
She further highlighted programmes and interventions being pursued through her office, noting that additional initiatives intended to benefit communities and citizens are being considered within the government’s development framework.
Hon. Johnbull maintained that sustainable national development requires collaboration among government institutions, civil society organisations, community leaders, youths, women, and other stakeholders.
The meeting, therefore, represents another effort towards building stronger partnerships for human rights protection, human capital development, youth and women empowerment, drug-abuse prevention, community security, peaceful coexistence, and sustainable development in the South-South region and Nigeria at large.