Youths leaders in Ekiti state have been urged to make accountability and responsible leadership their watchwords, describing this as the best way to make them relevant and command respect in the scheme of things .
Governor Biodun Oyebanji who gave the charge in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, said imbibing accountability in leadership will help in deeping good governance in the society.
Oyebanji spoke while delivering his opening address at the legislative capacity building training organized by Ministry of Youth Development for members of the State 5th Assembly of Youth Parliament themed: “From Debate To Impact: Building Effective Youth Legislators For Better Governance.”
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Oyeniyi Adebayo, the governor said, “In whatever you are doing , ensure that you are impacting those you are representing, leading and serving positively and responsibly
“Leadership is all about accountability, be accountable to them by giving them feedback back on what you have been able to do with the mandate they gave you. Make fairness and justice your watchwords in all you do.
“Build confidence and communication skill for effective message delivery. Make yourself accessable to your people and have interface with them from time to time to make them have sense of belonging. Be selfless in all your conducts and relationships with the people you are leading by putting them first always”.
Also speaking, the commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Adesola Gold Adedayo said the youth parliament is a replica of the State House of Assembly and the training is designed to prepare our youths for leadership positions in the future as we trust God the Ekiti will continue to progress .
He said, “We are thankful of Mr governor, Biodun Oyebanji who has deliberately been investing in in the development of the youths of the state.
“You will recall, on the assumption of office of Mr governor, he created the Youth Development ministry out of the old youth and sport development ministry, since then , in all of our MDAs, it has been one youth driven initiatives or the other.
“Just recently, the Ekiti 5th Youth Parliament just returned from an International leadership conference in Sierra Leone. Today, we are training and preparing them for youth inclusion into policy development in Ekiti state”.
Other dignitaries at the event, include former SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters and APC candidate for Ekiti North Federal Constituency 2, Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju, SA to the Governor on Tertiary Education, Prof. Akeem Azeez, DG Office of Transformation and Service Delivery, DrJohn Ekundayo, Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Mr Opeyemi Ajibola among others.