By Longtong Ibrahim
Residents of 18 communities from six Local Government Areas(LGAs) of Kaduna state have expressed satisfaction over the response they are getting from their duty bearers as a result of engaging them on developmental issues within their localities, saying their engagements has started yielding positive results despite the challenges.
According to them, things are beginning to turn around because their knowledge on processes and technicalities of how to engage their representatives has been enhanced.
They stated this while presenting their various reports during a Community Development Charter (CDC) learning workshop, organized by League of Democratic Women (LEADS-Nigeria) in collaboration with Actionaid in its Strengthening Citizens Engagement in Electoral Process (SCEEP) project for SCEEP Focal Community Members (SCEEP FCM) in Kaduna, northern Nigeria.
While presenting reports from the communities of Sabon Gari LGA, the Focal Facilitator, Yusuf Kambai, explained that one of Makera’s major challenges was gully erosion. Others in the locality include bad roads, lack of electricity, insecurity, inadequate school structures and drug abuse.
Kambai noted that after meeting with the Member representing their constituency, he gave them the support of which the issue of gully erosion was solved; roads and drainages were constructed while some of the PHCs have been renovated.
“Through community efforts, Water was provided in some areas while the challenges of insecurity and drug abuse have been addressed through the formation of a vigilante group that collaborated with security agencies such as the police and NDLEA.”
“We were able to achieve that through organizing town hall meetings, writing and making advocacy visit to our local government council, member representing our constituency and key stakeholders who could help us in pushing the process to achieve what we want. Some help in the influencing the process while others actually help us”, he added.
Focal Facilitator of Kajuru Local Government Area, Aliya Yarba, in his submission said Idon community has been challenged with lack of portable water and vandalism of its electricity cables, but after much efforts and meeting with those who are financially buoyant in the area, a new borehole was sank and the non-functional ones rehabilitated.
He added that, “through our engagement, the Member of the House of Representative representing our constituency in the National Assembly built a block of classroom at GSS Idon; also the traffic Congestion around Kasuwa Magani market on market days has been tackled through our collective effort.”
Also speaking, Focal facilitator of Zagon Kataf LGA, Friday Iya, said through their intervention, they were able to tackle the problem of drug abuse by youths of the area. According to him, an intelligent committee was set up where it worked with the Police to tackle the menace.
He added that, unemployment also has been a key challenge in Ungwan Rimi community, but with much effort, a committee was set up which has enable them to access loans as well as acquire different skills through various interventions.
He further pointed out that, “13 boreholes have been sunk – two solar boreholes inclusive while some of our PHCs were renovated; we had all this challenges prioritized in our village book.”
Earlier in his welcoming remark, LEADS program officer, Mr. Daniel Michael, pointed out that, the workshop was to further strengthen the capacities of community members on how to actively participate in governance and engaging with relevant actors/duty bearers to demand for accountability and ensure development.
He explained that, “Looking at the seven principles of the Reflection Action it is time for community to actively participate in the circle of governance hence, this workshop is meant to evaluate the progress of work done in the communities and successes recorded and address the challenges or the limiting factors.
“Citizens have been marginalized due to their poor financial status; therefore it is proper to engage them to acquire the skills and knowledge to be able to hold duty bearers accountable to the resource allotted to them.”
The six LGAs where the communities were selected are Lere, Sabon Gari, Sanga, Kaduna North, Kajuru and Zangon Kataf.
