By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf has called for sustained synergy between the Assembly and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to foster transparency, accountability and inclusivity for effective and responsive governance.
Yusuf made the call in his goodwill message at opening of a 2-day Retreat For State Legislators and Civil Society on “Participatory and Inclusive Governance Through Effective Constituency Offices” on Thursday in Lokoja.
The retreat was organized by Initiative For Grassroot Advancement In Nigeria (INGRA) in collaboration with Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
The Speaker said such synergy could engender a symbiotic collaboration that would guarantee access to a broad range of perspectives and data, enabling them to make more informed decisions when crafting policies and legislation.
“We understand that our responsibility firstly concerns formulation of policies, oversight and the use of our legislative powers to bargain for and lobby what would improve the lives of our people, but we also know we cannot do this effectively without collaboration”, he said.
Yusuf noted that development of such synergy could culminate in a potent force for the promotion of meaningful development adding that while the Legislative Arm plays a crucial role in creating and amending laws, the Civil Society represents the diverse voices and interests of the public.
“When these two entities work together, we can foster transparency, accountability and inclusivity, leading to more effective and responsive governance.
“Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) often possess valuable expertise and knowledge on various social, economic and environmental issues”, the Speaker said.
“We also understand that the civil society acts as a watchdog, monitoring the implementation of laws and policies. Collaboration with the legislative branch allows the CSOs to provide independent assessments and evaluations of government programs”, he said.
Yusuf pledged that the CSOs in Kogi State were going to enjoy a more robust and symbiotically rewarding relationship with the 8th Assembly in Kogi State.
Also speaking in his goodwill message, Amb. Idris Ozovehe Muraina Chairperson, Kogi NGOs Network (KONGONET) said the network is working hand-in-hand with the Legislature to ensure that citizens of Kogi State receive the best of representation and benefits.
“As representatives of the people, we believe that collaboration between the government and CSOs is vital in achieving our shared goal of good governance, sustainable development and a prosperous future for all Kogi residents.
“By combining our expertise, resources and experiences, we can collectively address the multifaceted challenges faced by our state and find innovative solutions for a brighter future”, Muraina assured.
Also speaking, Barr Lilian Okolo, Chairperson of Kogi State chapter of Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) commended the organizers of the retreat saying the Federation was out to protect, promote and preserve the rights of women and children and would want their cause mainstreamed and captured in the state’s annual budgets.
Ikechukwu Mpama, Programmes Officer with the Initiative for Grassroot Advancement (INGRA), in his overview of the State Level Advocacy And Legislative Engagement Forum, leading to the 2-day Legislators/Civil Society Retreat, said it was a six-month project spanning from October, this year to March, 2024.
The Programme Officer said that the objectives of the project include, among others, to engender more robust gender sensitive and citizenry inclined budgeting, development of a functional citizenry, enhancement of capacities of the state legislators and supporting citizens’ participation in budgetary processes.