HSS Cluster Advocates the Facilitation of Local Government Financing ISS in Bauchi State.
By Muhammad Babayo ASHA
Bauchi State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has been requested to facilitate management of the 20 local councils of the state to finance Integrated Supportive Supervision ISS.
The Health System Strengthening HSS Cluster is implementing a project titled: Improved Quality Healthcare Service Delivery through Integrated Supportive Supervision ISS.
The programme is a USAID-funded 5 year project implemented by Palladium in collaboration with Nigerian Resource Partners.
The Bauchi State Network of Civil Society Organizations BASNEC Lead Programme Manager Shuaibu Ali Kobi who gave the indication in Bauchi during a Media round table meeting said the project is designed to enhance civil society organizations’ ability to be positive and responsible change agents in the country.
Shuaibu Ali Kobi said the aim of the project is to improve public accountability, transparency and sustainable service delivery through strengthening managerial, financial and advocacy capacity of CSOs to engage citizens to influence government at all levels in key development reforms.
He explained that the cluster comprises of six civil society organizations across the country and in the state Bauchi State Network of Civil Society Organizations BASNEC and Better Life Restoration Initiative BERI are serving as anchor organizations.
The Lead Programme Manager noted that they have engaged relevant stakeholders, ministries, agencies such as Ministry of Health, Primary Health Care Development Board to organize tripartite meeting with CSOs/Media, Private Sectors and Government Agencies on private sector engagement on ISS contribution in the state.
Others are to engage members of the state House of Assembly Committee on Health, Commissioner of Budget, Economic Planning and Multi-lateral Coodination and Commissioner of Health to sustain budgetary provision for ISS in the 2025 budget proposal.
Shuaibu Ali Kobi commended the state government for the allocation of 15 percent of its budget to the health sector and urged her to sustain the tempo.
In their separate remarks the HSS Cluster Programme Officers Asmau Yahaya and Zainab Muhammad Hassan called on the participants to use the knowledge acquired to enlighten the public the aim of the project.
Speaking on behalf of the participants Ahmad Muhammad Kaigama from News Agency of Nigeria NAN pledged to use the knowledge gained during the meeting to influence and enlighten people about the project.
The meeting has in attendance participants from Electronics and Print Media.
