- says will help Tinubu achieve 8-point agenda
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume has urged the Legislative Arm of government to tow the Executive Arm’s example the demonstrated enormous commitments to the development of volunteerism in Nigeria by creating enabling Legislative indices that will make the volunteering sector thrive in the country.
He stated this at the 2023 International Volunteer Day (IVD), December 5th observed every year as mandated by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 40/212 of 17th December, 1985. This year’s IVD theme is “IF EVERYONE DID”.
The IVD offers opportunity for UN member Nations to promote volunteerism, encourage Government to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at Local, National and International Levels. It also provides an avenue for Volunteer Involving Organizations (VIOs) and individual Volunteers to showcase their trade and contributions to socio-economic development of the country.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office (PEAO), Esuabana Nko-Asanye, the SGF said: “You will recall that in order to harness the potentials and resources of volunteers for development, the Federal Government established Nigerian National Volunteer Service (NNVS) Office in 2003 as a volunteer management Institution saddled with the responsibility of Promoting, Encouraging, Harnessing, Coordinating and effectively deploying the Volunteer Services of Nigerians to complement national development strategies.
“The Federal Government has further demonstrated its commitment to strengthening volunteerism as an essential tool through the development and approval of the National Policy on Inclusive Volunteerism in 2020. This policy is mainly to guide and provide direction for the effective management and coordination of volunteerism for development. Other objectives of the policy have been publicized across the country through Decentralized Workshops, Sensitization programmes on Volunteerism and National Policy Document for stakeholders buy-in and support in its implementation. The exercise created much impact in rekindling the ideals of volunteerism among the people in all the zones of the Federation as well as the establishment and resuscitation of volunteering activities and offices in the States and Local Government Areas”, he said.
Akume noted that a complementing coordinated volunteerism would be relevant in government effort in achieving its Eight-Point development priorities of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s Administration, especially in the areas of poverty reduction, food security, economic development and job creation to improve security and inclusivity of people to participate in the development activities.
According to him, Tinubu’s administration recognises volunteerism as a veritable force to facilitate socio-economic development.
He added, “It (volunteerism) is widely seen as a development tool critical for the advancement of the society especially the rural communities. The present economic contractions and realities pose a lot of challenges for government to achieve their developmental agenda.
“The realization that government cannot fund all of the nation. Interestingly, inclusiveness, being the key word in this year’s IVD theme, is also a major component of the development agenda of the government”, he said.
The SGF said that this year’s theme is indicative of the enormous contributions of volunteers to socio- economic development of nations especially during emergencies. He further noted that it also raises concerns that more would have been achieved if everyone had donated their resources voluntarily to the advancement of the societies.
Akume further noted that the socio-economic and political challenges characterised by poverty, food insecurity, inequality, gender discrimination, crime, youth restiveness, unemployment, etc. in the present situations call for inclusiveness of efforts to find and proffer common solutions.
“Perhaps if everyone did in the past there would have been a better society. The fact remains that inclusive volunteerism stands as one of the potent strategies of complementing the effort of government in tackling emerging social issues. It is a platform that engages volunteers with diverse range of experiences and background for meaningful participation in addressing challenges.
“Therefore, the inclusiveness of action of passionate volunteers, if well-coordinated could bring a lot of positive change in employment, reduction of crime, poverty reduction, food security, protection of lives and properties, healthy living, increase the rate of literacy, improve sanitation and present opportunities to promote volunteerism as a critical development tool capable of complementing national development efforts”, he said.
Continuing the SGF said: “Volunteerism has been identified as a veritable tool for development and serves as a platform for implementing national and international programmes such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It provides huge source of human resources and social capital which can been influential factor in social investment and job creation. Moreso, it offers material and financial resources which can be harnessed to assist government in various social interventions and projects. The volunteer sector enables and empowers citizens, Groups, NGOs, corporate entities with skills leverage opportunities to directly engage in the development of their community and the country in general.
“Furthermore, it is a platform that engages all shades of people and vulnerable individuals on equal basis and integrates them into volunteer actions on the principle of “Leave No One Behind”. It is therefore the right time for full development of volunteerism as a powerful development tool effectively co-ordinate volunteering activ activities of Government, Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Development Agencies, Groups and Individuals towards National Development.”
He noted that NNVS has embarked on the establishment of National Volunteer Database to enable the registration of interested volunteers, volunteer programmes available in the country and volunteer organizations and groups operating in the country.
“The Database will serve as a management tool to determine the number and profile of all genuine volunteers; assess the impact to the economy and estimate the cost and value of volunteer actions. It will also be used in the effective deployment of volunteers to various organizations to render services”.
He described as heart warming that Government will soon commission the said National Volunteer Database alongside the blueprint of the policy that will be implemented and coordinated under the National Volunteer Scheme.
He explained that the scheme will provide the teeming youth population, retirees, workers, migrants and others temporary employment for a period of time on a voluntary-based soft compensation, stipend and reward.
“The NNVS is also building a strategic collaboration with International Development Partners, International and regional organizations, Local NGOs and Faith-based Organizations to build formidable volunteer culture using the available resources to attain successful National and international Programme Implementation in Nigeria. It is important to state that the plans for the production and implementation of the blueprint of the policy; establishment of National Database and recruitment of volunteers were captured in the 2024 appropriation.
“The Executive Arm of Government has demonstrated enormous commitments to the development of volunteerism in Nigeria. There is the need for the National Assembly also to play its part by creating the enabling Legislative indices that will make the volunteering sector thrive in the country.”
The IVD celebration in Nigeria is spearheaded and organized by the NNVS Department in collaboration with relevant stakeholders such as the United Nation Volunteers (UNV), Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), National Association of Uniform Voluntary Organization, (NAUVO), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), FCT Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Fresh Brain and Young Development Initiative (FBIN), Searchlight Initiative of Nigeria (SIN), EMANDES, Yali and others who were constituted as members of Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for planning and implementation of activities towards the success of this event. We sincerely thank them for their varying roles and support to host the 2023 IVD in Nigeria.
In his welcome address, Director, Nigerian National Volunteer Service (NNVS) Department, (PEAO), Simon Stephen, described volunteerism as a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges and transforming the pace and nature of development.
“Volunteerism benefits the society, individuals and groups through their participation in making desired change in the environment one lives. It is a platform for the inclusive participation of people with diverse range of experience and backgrounds.”
He expressed the belief that the continuous commitment and collaborative efforts of the stakeholders will surely move the volunteering sector to enviable heights, saying: “I encourage and enjoin you all not to relent until the goal is achieved.”