Determined to effectively address grievances from people impacted by the World Bank assisted Agro- Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support project, APPEALS, a Grievance Redress Committee was inaugurated on Friday in Kaduna, North West Nigeria.
The setting up of the committee, according to the State Coordinator of the project, Dr Yahaya Abdulhadi Aminu, was a practical demonstration by the World Bank’s commitment to enhancing opportunities for grievance redress, collaborative problem solving, and alternative dispute resolution.
He explained that the grievances redress mechanism was an effective tool for early identification assessment, and resolution of complaints on projects and also to improve project outcomes to help both the project team and the beneficiaries.
“The Grievances Redress Committee is key strategy of addressing issues, concerns, problems (perceived or actual) that an individual or a community may rise.
As project-level problem solving mechanism, the committee will facilitate resolution of grievance raised by people directly affected by environmental and social impacts under the APPEALS project”, he emphasized.
Dr. Aminu listed terms of reference of the committee which is headed by a former Chief Judge of the State, Tanimu Zailani to include, to review complaints received and provide mediation to resolve the issues, identify outstanding complaints and recommend referrals, keep record of complains, resolutions and extract lessons learnt.
The Coordinator commended the State Government for been the first State out of the benefitting States in the country to pay its counterparts funding for the project.
The State Deputy Governor, Dr. HADIZA Balarabe who inaugurated the committee said the State was glad to collaborate with the World Bank to transform the economy of the area through the development of agriculture.
The project, she observed, will improve agricultural production, food security, job creation and economic development.
According to the Deputy Governor, the project targets 10,000 direct and 50,000 indirect beneficiaries in various segments of the value chain.
Also inaugurated, was a Grievance Redress Mechanism TOLL Free Line to be used by beneficiaries of the project either through Calls or Text Messages.
Responding, the Chairman of the committee, Tanimu Zailani assured that members of the committee would do their best in the discharge of their duties.
Members of the committee were drawn from the civil service, Civil Society Organizations and Security agencies.
