Abuja - Nigeria — The newly constituted National Coordinating Council (NCC) of the ECOWAS Volunteers Programme (EVP) for Guinea Bissau has identified the education and health sectors as priority areas that require the support of volunteers from the region under the pilot phase of the EVP. The NCC, the advisory body with responsibility for supervising the overseeing the activities of the 40 volunteers to deployed to the country said the choice of the two sectors reflect the desire of the people to build the capacity of the citizens and ensure a healthy citizenry that to would promote the country's development.
The 14-member council which was sworn into office on Thursday, 10th March 2011 was also trained on the procedural manual of administration and management of the volunteer programme by an ECOWAS Commission delegation led by the Director of Youth and Sports Centre, Mr. Francis Chuks Njoaguani in collaboration with the United Nations Volunteers programme coordinator in Bonn, Mr. Robert Toe. In his address at the opening ceremony, the country's Minister of Economy, Integration and Regional Development who was represented by Dr. Jose Biai, Head of the ECOWAS National Unit in Guinea Bissau, praised the ECOWAS Commission for choosing Guinea Bissau among the countries to benefit under the pilot phase of the programme.
The minister reiterated the commitment and determination of the government of Guinea Bissau to support the Programmes and ensure the visibility and sustainability of its impact. In a speech to the ceremony, the President of ECOWAS Commission commended the political maturity of the people of Guinea Bissau which has translated into a process of economic and democratic development. He reiterated the Commission's commitment to support Guineans in their development efforts, saying that this accounts for the country's nomination to benefit from the pilot phase in order to use the programme to contribute to the consolidation of peace and promotion of development.
In the speech which was delivered by Mr. Francis Njoaguani, Director of the ECOWAS Youth Centre, the President expressed delight at the commitment of partners such as the European Union (EU), the African Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations Volunteer programme (UNV), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and urged them not to relent in their efforts to assist with the Community's youth development programmes. Launched in March 2010, the EVP is supported by the ECOWAS Peace Fund with the collaboration of the ADB, UN and the EU. A total of 160 youths, aged between 18 to 35 years, will be deployed for two years to Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
