Interactions with technology among Nigerian youths has continued to grow from social media usage to actual programming.
Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) an international non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote rights-based community empowerment and development in the Niger Delta region for over a decade is tapping into the growing obsession with technology to create a community of of practice that can proffer tech solution to the many challenges facing our society.
Groups from the tech community of practice brought together on Saturday, March 5th, 2022 by SDN at the beautiful Elkan Terrace Hotel in Port Harcourt may have been fixated at the grand prize as they showed the tech solutions they had designed to solve one of the many sociopolitical problems in Nigeria, their efforts left lasting impressions on the array of stakeholders invited to witness the event.
The Tech Pitch Workshop, which is part of the SDN social accountability project which contributes towards the creation of a sustainable community of tech developers focusing on providing inclusive solutions to social issues using technology.
Though 100 persons enlisted at the beginning of the programme, the demonstration included four groups of five participants that had crossed several hurdles to reach the final stage.
After a painstaking assessment based on presentation, impact of the idea, creativity, relevance and workability, the panel of judges declared Polima as the winner with 97 points. Parrot Box scored a total number of 67 points, Reach For Help scored 73 points, while Your Voice Scored 82 points.
The Winning group, Polima engaged, designed a tech based response to the problem of failed campaign promises from politicians and political parties. With over 90 registered political parties and hundreds of people vying for different offices, The Polima team opined that holding politicians accountable after election victory becomes difficult as most of the manifestos are easily forgotten because of the volume of promises and manifestos that characterize each election season. Polima then seeks to hold politicians accountable by acting as an electronic repository of election promises, which voters can refer to when there is a need to refresh the memories of elected government officials.
The other presentations focused on increasing election participation, security and budget tracking.
In line with the spirit of the event, the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) of the Independent Electoral Commission(INEC), Mr Obo Effanga stated that the future of elections in is technology and the future of Nigeria lies in the youths. He said new technological solutions introduced in the electoral process will further improve the integrity of the ballot.
The SDN program officer, Christy Ibinabo stated that the program which is executed in partnership with the Yar’Adua has identified, selected and established at least 30 Rivers state based and other civic tech developers community of practice and secure their buy in.