Economy
A non-governmental organisation, Actionaid Nigeria, has urged the media to track budget spending to ensure that it responds to national needs, particularly in education and bridging inequality.
The Communication Coordinator, Actionaid Nigeria, Lola Ayanda, made the call at a two-day media strategy meeting on Gender Responsive Public Service (GRPS).
The meeting, which was organised by Actionaid Nigeria in Abuja, focused on equality in public expenditure to reduce inequality and tackle discrimination, ended on Thursday.
Ayanda said that the media should help in engaging government to combat poverty and promote social justice.
She said that the event was part of Actionaid Nigeria’s commitment to build the capacity of journalists in understanding relevant development issues in the country.
According to Ayanda, relationship between Actionaid and the media can remain beneficial for the purpose of growth and development in the country.
While thanking the media for staying true partners, she said that the organisation would continue to improve the capacity of journalists to make more meaningful contributions to national development.
According to her, it is advocating the public sector to provide efficient service delivery to the populace.
On his part, the facilitator, Mr Kenneth Okwename, in his presentation on Understanding Gender Responsiveness in the Context of Public Services, said the sensitivity of budgetary allocations and proper scrutiny would ensure that disadvantaged areas were attended to.
“The GRPS gives different dimensions for public services based on a framework across different contexts by making public service responsive to everyone, irrespective of gender, age or disabilities,” he said.
He said that embracing the concept of GRPS had lots of advantage that could change the current situation in the country.
“It is important for government to deal with issues that will lead to a dignified life for all Nigerians.
“Government must own up to its responsibility of delivering public service, and placing gender at the background will not bring expected changes.
“The environment for change can only work with the presence and practicability of positive influence over the affairs of governance,” Okwename said.
On his part, the Manager, Governance Programme, Actionaid Nigeria, Celestine Odo, said, “Politics must not tax people to their detriment or borrow away their dreams and aspirations.”
He urged stakeholders at all levels to understand gender responsiveness in order to meet practical and strategic needs and priorities of the people for efficient service delivery.
Odo urged the media to champion a paradigm shift toward addressing burning issues in the country to bring the needed changes.
According to him, proper and constant engagement will help fix some inequality on matters of GRPS.
He charged the media to engage more on research and on issues that concerned the youth and women.
A representative of an NGO, Yoga Africa, Ibrahim Faruk, said media coverage should begin to take certain shape, including critical analysis on development trends, challenges and impact.
He said that such a focus would create room for ideas and directions for legislative action for youth responsive service delivery.
Faruk also called on the media to give more priority to issues of gender responsive public service.
NAN reports that media practitioners from Kaduna, Borno, Enugu, Lagos, Akwa Ibom and the FCT participated in the two-day meeting. (NAN)
– Dec. 17, 2020 @ 16:44 GMT |
Tags: Actionaid tasks media on budget tracking
