No fewer than 20 community-based accountability advocates have been sensitised on accountability, social justice and inclusion in Katirje/Kofar Yamma Community in Jama’are local government area of Bauchi State.
The sensitisation, according to Dr. Ibrahim Adam Disina, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Xchange Hama Media, was aimed at raising awareness among participants on the importance of accountability, social justice, and inclusion in local governance and development initiatives that ensure accountability in service delivery to the people.
Dr. Disina who was ably represented by Aminu Naganye averred that the sensitisation outreach to community level was part of a project between Xchange Hama Media and Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) with support from the MacArthur Foundation.
According to him, the participants are expected to spread the message to their networks so that people can be deeply involved in community action on accountability, promote social justice and inclusion in the community, and establish communication channels for community leaders and members to push for accountability.
The mediapreneur stressed the need for the participants deepen and sustain the conversations on accountability, social justice and inclusion in their spheres of their daily interactions.
He explained the impact of corruption on development and the role of citizens in holding government officials accountable to check corrupt practices in projects.
He emphasised the need for the people to get involved and actively monitor their communities and hold everyone accountable including themselves. He referred them to accountable issues investigated and reported by Xchange Hama Media such as 2022 flood and relief material distributions in the area.
He sensitised them on how they can expand the frontiers of accountability to ensure right things are done.
He observed that there is the need to promote equality and fairness in all aspects of society, and how community members could play a role in advocating for the rights of marginalised groups.
He buttressed that persons with disabilities, women and other minorities should be incorporated as co-travelers in development quest of the community as they are a significant part that can make meaningful and unique contributions when given the opportunity.
According to him, there are different ways in which community members could communicate their grievances and suggestions to elected officials and other relevant authorities in their drive for community-wide accountability efforts.
He explained that community working as a team stands to gain a lot in demanding accountability than solo struggles by few individuals.
He sensitised the participants that there are formal and formal channels they can push for accountability such as writing to the relevant individual or organization, courtesy call by the representatives of the community, radio and television programs, social media platforms like Facebook and X, personal acquaintances, and other informal networks can be harnessed to hold those responsible accountable.
He reiterated the significance of deploying all available channels of communication to hold people, agencies, institutions and organisations accountable.
Speaking for the participants, a community leader, Abubakar Jauro Usman, appreciated the organisers for the sensitisation as it has reawaken them from their slumber to continue to shoulder their civic democratic responsibility.
He narrated that as a community they identified some of the challenges in trying to push for accountability such as local political elite manipulation, persecution and absence basic knowledge of accountability which the sensitisation has closed the gap.
He noted that the community is determined to overcome the challenges resiliently to demand accountability from their leaders to improve their community.
