The inception meeting of the People, Influence and Action (PIA) Project, organised by DRDI/Tax Justice and Governance Platform, was held on Tuesday at the Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Studies, Mambayya House, Gwammaja, Kano State.
The meeting brought together representatives of government ministries, departments and agencies, civil society organisations, community representatives and other stakeholders to develop a common understanding of the project and identify areas for collaboration.
Speaking at the meeting, the Deputy Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Kano State Office, Comrade Grace Musa, stressed the need to strengthen communication and feedback mechanisms between government and citizens.
She said effective feedback mechanisms were essential to building an egalitarian society where citizens could understand government policies, while public institutions remained responsive to the needs and expectations of the people.
Musa said the NOA had a responsibility to bridge the communication gap between government and citizens by creating platforms through which both sides could exchange information, raise concerns and assess government performance.
According to her, the agency’s “Seven for Seven” programme provides an avenue for promoting mutual accountability by encouraging both government and citizens to fulfil their respective responsibilities.
She added that stronger citizen engagement would enable communities to participate more meaningfully in governance rather than remaining passive recipients of government policies and programmes.
Also speaking, Mr Simeon Olatunde explained the rationale behind the PIA Project, stressing the need to move citizens beyond merely expressing concerns to collectively influencing decisions and taking action on issues affecting their communities.
He said the project was designed to strengthen the capacity of citizens and civil society actors to identify governance challenges, engage relevant institutions and advocate solutions that reflected the needs and priorities of communities.
Olatunde noted that sustainable development and accountable governance could only be achieved through active participation by citizens, government institutions, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
The meeting provided participants with an opportunity to explore practical ways of strengthening citizens’ voices, collective action, inclusive decision-making and accountability in Kano State.
Participants emphasised the need for sustained collaboration among government institutions, civil society organisations, communities and citizens to ensure that public policies and programmes effectively respond to the needs of the people.
The PIA initiative is expected to provide a platform through which citizens can better understand their rights and responsibilities, influence public decisions and demand greater accountability from institutions entrusted with public resources.
The project is being implemented in collaboration with CISLAC, with funding support from Christian Aid.
