Nigeria: CSOs, Kaduna State Government Strategized On Social And Community Development

By Amos Tauna

Kaduna State government, Northern part of Nigeria, has set out machineries to enhance community participation in government programmes meant to ensure rural development.

A meeting organized by the state government through the office of the Special Adviser to governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai on Social Development and Civil Society Organizations discussed extensively on various areas that could lead to total overhaul of the present situation among the youths and rural dwellers in the state with a better framework towards enhancing their standards of living.

Declaring the meeting open, the Special Adviser to governor El-Rufai on Social Development, Hajia Rabi M. G. Abdulsalam, said the door of her office was widely open to receive constructive ideas that could lead to team work among the youths and rural dwellers.

She explained that emphasis should be focused on rape and other social vices with a view to reducing them to the bearest minimum in the state, while urging the Civil Society Organizations to rise to the task of ensuring they contribute possitively towards eradicating the ills in the society.

The Special Adviser noted that the Civil Society Organizations were close to the people especially the youths, urged them to play vital roles towards realising the government set objectives on Social and Community Development. “We cannot fail in our assignment to make the youths realise that they are leaders of tomorrow and therefore they should be trained on leadership instead of indulging themselves in the use of substance abuse that could be detrimental to their future.

The discussion which centered on social and community development, stressed that there was the need for the youths to work together in achieving meaningful development order than taking substances that affect their progress and future leaders in the country.

The meeting deliberated on the need for the state government to involve members of the community and Civil Society Organizations for effective implementation of its health programmes in the state, while advising the youths to take training programmes seriously for them to live meaningful lives in futire.

Nigeria: Civil Organisations Re-Strategise On Fight Against Corruption

By Iliya Kure

Civil Society Groups in Nigeria are meeting in Abuja this week to discuss issues relating to strengthening of legal framework against corruption in the country.

The meeting, spearheaded by Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption – MIIVOC, with support from Justice for All of the British council, expects Civil Society organisations from across the country in attendance.

Top on the agenda is the strengthening of advocacy strategies for transmission and passage of three bills, namely, the Proceeds of Crime – POCA; Nigeria Financial Intelligence Center- NFIC; Whistle Blowers Protection and Mutual Legal Assistance Bills.

Addressing journalists in Calabar, Executive Director of MIIVOC, Walter Duru described the bills as central to the country’s anti-graft war.

“During the annual Conference on Financial Fraud, Cyber Crime and Cross Border Crimes, held in Abuja in February, 2016, the Attorney General, in his keynote address assured Nigerians that the bills will be transmitted to the National Assembly as Executive bills and eventually passed, while announcing that the Mutual Legal Assistance and Money Laundering bills were already transmitted.

“Till date, nothing appears to be happening in the case of the rest of the bills and nobody is saying anything to the citizens. It is obvious that some enemies of the country are working round the clock to ensure that they are not passed.

“The primary essence of the meeting is to review the situation and agree on steps to be taken to ensure that those that have roles to play live up to their responsibility.”