Lukman Abdulmalik
On Tuesday, the Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) trained community leaders, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and Kano-based journalists on fostering accountability and enhancing service delivery in constituency projects.
The training which was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, was held at the Aminu Kano Center for Democratic Studies, Mambayya House.
Its objective was to equip participants with essential knowledge and practical skills to effectively advocate for accountability and transparency in implementing constituency projects in the state.
In his welcome address, the Executive Director of CHRICED, Ibrahim Zikrullah commended the efforts of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for their support since the beginning of CHRICED’s project.
“The reason we are doing this training is to sensitize the public to ensure they can follow up on projects executed by the politicians.
“Citizens play a critical role which is why their active involvement in the planning, execution, and evaluation of these projects is essential for ensuring transparency and accountability in their communities.
“This workshop was designed to equip community actors, civil society activists, and other stakeholders with the knowledge and tools necessary to advocate for accountability and transparency in constituency project implementation.
“However, to fulfill this role effectively, they need the right skills, knowledge, and tools.”
In his presentation on Effective Petition Writing: A Potent Tool for Combating Corruption in Constituency Project Service Delivery, the Assistant Commissioner of the ICPC for Kano and Jigawa, Malam Abubakar Jibrin, highlighted the importance of writing well-structured petitions.
He explained that CSOs must understand the basics of effective petition writing to enable the ICPC to act on corruption cases.
“Many petitions we receive in Kano are politically motivated,” he said, urging people to avoid filing petitions that do not serve the public interest. He emphasized that petitions should be clear and concise, specifically defining the issues and desired outcomes. He advised petitioners to:
“Target the right audience, such as decision-makers or relevant authorities, set clear objectives with specific, achievable demands, use evidence-based arguments, incorporating facts, statistics, and real-life experiences, maintain a respectful and persuasive tone, and provide contact information and include a follow-up plan.”
The representative of EFCC, Detective Ekene Ikpeama, an investigator with the Kano Directorate, reiterated the commission’s commitment to preventing corruption.
He discussed the primary goals of constituency projects and emphasized strategies for combating corruption, including transparency, accountability, stakeholder engagement, technical strategy, and capacity building.
The highly interactive training emphasized practical application to demand accountability.
Participants who spoke to Stallion Times on anonymity said the media needs to change strategies in advocating for transparency and accountability.
They called on journalists to weigh in on media convergence in reporting constituency projects.
At the end of the training, participants received certificates acknowledging their dedication to promoting accountability and openness in the state.
