Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia has officially subscribed to the United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV), as a bold step to express his commitment to youth empowerment and helping to create for them, more access to leadership opportunities.
A statement on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, said, Governor Alia by this action, becomes the first Governor in Africa to subscribe to the UN Volunteers Full Funding Programme.
According to Kula, under this programme, over 40 beneficiaries from Benue State will be selected in the first year, in line with global best practices.
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The media aide explained that the agreement subscribing the Benue State Governor, which went into full effect on February 14th, 2024, and became financially operational on April 16th, 2024, marks a historic moment in African governance.
“Through his subscription to the UN Volunteer programme, Governor Alia has demonstrated a visionary approach to governance, recognizing the pivotal role of young people in driving sustainable development” the statement added.
Director General of the Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (BICD) and Focal Person for the UN Volunteer project in Benue State, Leo-Angelo Viashima has expressed excitement on the development saying that Governor Alia has redefined what empowerment and access to leadership means.
In her remarks, Ms. Veronica Obiuwevbi, the Country Coordinator of the UN Volunteer in Nigeria, praised Governor Alia for setting the pace, stating that the UN Volunteer in Nigeria is excited about this partnership. She assured that, “We will do all we can to ensure that upon completion of the programme, beneficiaries would have gained the needed skills to be able to impact Benue state and the society in general.”
According to her, UN Volunteers are changemakers who are contributing to peace and development with their skills and experience through volunteerism.
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, founded on December 7, 1970, is a programme that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide.
Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges, and it can transform the pace and nature of development. Volunteerism benefits both the society and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity, and reciprocity among citizens, and by purposefully creating opportunities for participation.
Kula also said that Governor Alia’s subscription to the UN Volunteer programme, 53 years after its founding, is a testament to his commitment to inclusive governance and his dedication to creating a more prosperous and equitable society for all.
“His actions serves as an inspiration to a new generation of leaders dedicated to creating positive change in their communities,” the statement said.
