USAID State2State trains MDAs, CSOs on citizens’ engagement in policy planning

Story from Usman IBRAHIM, Yola

The United State Agency International Development (USAID) State2State has trained Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on citizens’ engagement and participatory planning policy in Adamawa State.

Speaking at the training on Thursday in Yola, Ms Suzanne Myada, Public Financial Management Specialist at USAID, said the objectives of the training are to promote participatory planning through the integration of Community Development Plans (CDPs) into state and local government budgets.

“The training intends to mainstream citizen engagement, gender inclusion, and conflict sensitivity in MDA budget processes.

“And to influence improved service delivery through increased budget allocation and releases for primary healthcare, basic education, and WASH,” she said.

According to her, the MDAs, CSOs, and the media have vital roles and responsibilities through collaborative effort and coordination mechanisms to record more success.

In her presentation, Ms Magdalene Michael, Communication Specialist State2State, tasked participants with effective communication for good results before, during, and after the citizens’ engagement.

She said that citizens have a say on what to be executed for them as it brings more development and the governments may even spend less.

She tasked CSOs with the need to be proactive and to promote the need of the citizens for the government’s consideration for more development in the state.

Merry Paninga, Permanent Secretary of the Adamawa Planning Commission, commended the State2State for the remarkable intervention in governance and all other aspects of the state.

She said all the areas intervened were gradually recording a lot of success.

Paninga called on the CSOs to make their members across the 21 LGAs of the state be their eye-openers at the grassroots.

Also, Ms Muniratu Jibrin, Executive Director of Mujib Hope Foundation and member of Adamawa Good Governance Group, described the training as excellent in promoting transparency and accountability.

“The training is very important because it enlightens a lot of CSOs like us on how best we can air our views in line with expenditures of the state to ensure it is well accountable.

“It is also an eye opener on how to advocate for what we want in terms of expenditures of the state through media, interaction with the state government and also reaching out to grassroots to receive their needs and to relate it to government as well,” she said.

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