Politics
ACTIONAID Nigeria on Friday inaugurated Kaduna chapter of Inclusive Forum for Accountable Society (IFAS) with a call on members to strive toward good governance and accountability.
Sani Ibrahim, ActionAid Manager, Partnership and Local Rights, who made the call during the inauguration of the forum in Kaduna, also urged members to bridge gaps between the rich and the poor in society.
Ibrahim said that the creation of the forum was aimed at advocating for the rights of the poor and the excluded in the community.
“Part of the reasons for creating this forum is to address some specific issues coming from the community such as education and livelihood.
“By creating this forum, it will give opportunity for sharing and learning good practices in participatory governance, increase citizens participation in governance process and enhance partnership and collaboration between government and CSOs.
“There are small grants which SMEDAN gives to many communities and they don’t get access to it but with this IPAS, I believe they will learn more and begin to access it.’’
He said that there was need for the existence of a viable platform at state level that could engage stakeholders and duty bearers on good governance and accountability.
He said part of the objectives of the committee include to raise profile of silent issues affecting the neglected poor and vulnerable people and to solicit government and public attention for positive change and social reorientation among others.
The committee, according to him, will also respond to the needs of the people and support relevant stakeholders in their areas of capacity gaps through training.
“We are doing this today so that we can have people of different capacities come together to chart the way forward on how to bridge these gaps.
“It will also ensure that citizens enjoy adequate public services that will to a very large extent, bridge gaps between the rich and the poor.”
Ibrahim, who is also a member of the committee pointed out that capacity of implementers of government policies was key.
The Chairman of the committee, Badamasi Yau, appreciated the NGO for the creation of the forum, adding that it would help increase demand for accountability.
He said that the forum would work hard in advocating for the rights of the poor and the excluded in the community.
The members of the committee are drawn from education secretaries, representatives of SUBEB, SMEDAN, BOA, NDE and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). (NAN)
– Oct. 4, 2019 @ 16:53 GMT |
Tags: ActionAid Nigeria inaugurates forum for accountable society
