By Aisha Mohammed
Fostering community harmony and empowering stakeholders have been dynamic approaches to bringing about a sense of ownership in inclusive development in Nigeria.
The OXFAM Nigeria Project Coordinator, Samuel Lashon, made the assertion at a three-day Local Government Areas budget preparation and Community Development Planning inclusion consultative workshop held in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.
The OXFAM Nigeria Project Coordinator, Samuel Lashon, said the identification of priority needs builds a sense of belonging, hence the objective of training local government staff to capture the voices of people at the grassroots in developing a gender-responsive budget for inclusive service delivery.
Lashon further revealed that challenges include a lack of political will to implement the needs of the people captured in the document but expressed optimism that the Community Development Planning approach will change the narrative.
A public financial consultant, Olayemi Olufemi, said the huge gender gap identified necessitated the workshop to enhance the capacity of local government staff to develop a gender-responsive budget for inclusive service delivery.
Participants at the workshop expressed delight over the knowledge imparted to them and pledged to put it into practice for the inclusive development of their communities.
The workshop, aimed at supporting improved social cohesion through Community Development Planning, was organized by GIZ, OXFAM, CRUDAN, and partners, with funding from the German Government and the European Union, in collaboration with the Nigerian Government.
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