Skip to main content

Environmentalists re-strategize on governance


A cross-section of environmental strategists at the event

Lack of good and well-intentioned environmental governance and social audit for effective monitoring and evaluation of data and procurement have been identified as the major impediment against the climate change campaign in Kaduna state.

A leading member of Network of Civil Societies in Environment, Gloria Kasang Bulus, who made this known during a one-day capacity building platform for critical stakeholders working around environment - strengthening the technical working groups; to develop or use tools required for effective engagement with government, urged participants to volunteer wholeheartedly in the task ahead - to mitigate climate change.

Bulus who is also the Director, Bridge that Gap Initiative and convener of the network noted that, "Unless and until we are able to partner the government in ensuring outcomes in tandem with the people oriented policies, plans, appropriations; we will be doing next to nothing in the campaign".

On baselines and its importance to the campaign, Rahila Baita Ishaku, a member of the  network and facilitator, explained that,"baselines are very important for us now as we need to develop tools that ensure we never steer away from the overall goal when we come to take stock of where we have reached in the campaign". 

Coalition of Association for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (CALPED)'s Head of Social Enterprise and Development, Dangwa Abbas Danjuma, called on participants to engage governments by using the Freedom of Information Act, which empowers the citizenry to participate in their government. "When adequately informed, citizens can better help the implementation of programs by giving credible feedback to government through social audits and tracking", he said.

The event attracted climate change champions from states such as Benue, Edo and Ogun. The training focused on social auditing, use of the FoI law, baseline survey and all other steps associated with environmental governance. 

Highlight of the event tasked participants to develop work plans for the five thematic areas of the network namely: environmental governance, safer environment, climate change, green solutions, disaster management and livelihoods. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Why States may be unable to pay new minimum wage -Commissioner

Citizens listening with rapt attention  By YUSUF GOJE C ommissioner, Planning and Budget Commission Kaduna state, Mohammed  Sani Dattijo has queried the rationale behind the proposed upward review  of the minimum wage, which he said compels even states that are not  viable to play ball. Making the assertion at the  recently concluded Citizens' Consultation forum on Medium Term Expenditure Framework 2019-2021  held in Kaduna, Dattijo said:"The minimum wage should be moved from the  exclusive to the concurrent list, even though Kaduna state is  healthier than most states, there are states that cannot afford the  increase in minimum wage. If this is not done, the increase in minimum wage will only be on paper but difficult to implement by many states, resulting in labor disputes". He stressed that the exclusiveness of this piece of  legislation which empowers only the Federal government to de...

Yearning for sound Fiscal Responsibility

Fundamentals for good governance G overnment and Citizens' Groups in Kaduna state have teamed up to engender effective budget tracking and implementation to create the enabling environment for increased internally generated revenue (IGR), in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). This was the fallout of a three-day eye opening event, facilitated by Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL-ECP), in collaboration with the Kaduna state government. The engagement touched on the urgent need to conduct budget trend analysis across key sectors - Economics, Social, Law/Justice as well as Administration, including audit report, all aimed ultimately at putting Kaduna state in good stead for sustained economic growth. Addressing participants drawn from government and citizens' groups, Mr Timothy Effiong, a Public Financial Management Consultant, maintained that even in Kaduna a state that is very policy-driven, there exist gaps in g...

Coalition urges COP-27 to fast track advocacy against Climate Change

  Participants in a group photograph after the event in Kaduna By EDDY OCHIGBO,  A  coalition  of environmental organizations in Kaduna, under the aegis Extinction Rebellion (XR) - a global movement which seeks to persuade governments to act justly on climate change and ecological emergency - has hosted a pre-COP27, in partnership with Bridge-that-Gap Initiative, to galvanize the campaign against climate change, as the   the 27th Conference of Parties slated for Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt kicks off. In an exclusive interview with NATIONAL ACCORD, one the coordinators of the event in Kaduna metropolis, Mr Zinta Akpoko, revealed that  COP27, Egypt could become a turning point of the campaign, given that forerunners of the conference have since pledged to relentlessly push to prioritize climate financing for developing nations.  "The effect of climate change is very evident and we need to be very frank  by telling the truth about the inherent dangers tha...

TRIBUTE: Dr Bala Takaya 1930 - 2018

  Bala John Takaya (2nd Left) at a function recently By Nasiru Jagaba Again, with rude shock, death has come upon us in the early hours of Sunday, 27th May, 2018. It is with deepest regret that the Middle Belt Youth Wing of Middle Belt Forum mourns the death of our President, Father, Mentor, and a tireless advocate of equity, fairness and justice, Dr Bala John Takaya, the President of Middle Belt Forum has silently closed the door of life and departed from us, never to return.  68 years old Takaya, an unparalleled University Senior Lecturer, a distinct politician who served as the  Secretary to State Government of the old Gongola State, a member of the 1987 Political Bureau. On the fight to restore democratic system of governance, he worked hand in hand with Chief Solomon Lar. Also, in 1999 he was the governorship candidate of the All People’s Party, APP later ANPP.  He is much esteemed in the community of Middle Belt and generally recognized as on...

Making a case for Kaduna's Agric sector

By Yusuf Goje I t will be most appropriate to start by commending the Kaduna State House of Assembly for breaking the jinx of holding a legislative public hearing for the first on the 2020 draft budget. This provided citizens and civil society partners the avenue to make submissions on the various sectors of interest towards improved public service delivery and value for money. The Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment & Development (CALPED), a civil society working on governance reforms, submitted a memo and made a presentation making a case for increased funding for the agricultural sector and use of technology to collect data for effective planning, among other critical issues. Our presentation aligned with the words of Akinwumi Adesina, the erudite and charismatic President of the African Development Bank, who rightly posited that, “making agriculture profitable and ‘cool’ for young people in Africa is key to lifting millions out of pove...