Development: Communities present demands to legislators in Ebonyi

Leaders of 18 communities in Ebonyi State have presented their immediate demands to the state House of Assembly representatives for quick attention.

The community leaders presented the demand in Abakaliki during the first bi-annual Constituency-Legislative Interface (BCLI) program organised by the Development Integrity Goals Foundation (DIG) with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)  – funded State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness, State2State  project.

The demands covered mainly the three ‘State2State’ priority areas: primary health, education; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) as it affects selected 18 communities in 7 local government areas of the state.

Handing over the demands to legislatures through the Clark of the House Mrs Patricia Anasi, the community representatives of the local government areas: Abakaliki, Afikpo South, Ebonyi, Ezza South, Ikwo, Ohaozara and Ohaukwu, urged the lawmakers to ensure that those needs were captured in the budget and implemented in their constituencies.

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They appreciated DIG Foundation and State2State for the initiative, and urged the lawmakers to respect the charter of demand, having emanated from their constituents.

Receiving the Charter document, the Clerk of the House, Mrs Patricia Anasi, assured the constituents that the documents would be given appropriate administrative attention to ensure that they reach the desired destinations in the legislative arm.

In their separate remarks, the State2State’s Capacity building specialist in the State, Dr. Ibiam Azu and the the DIG consultant, Dr. Emma Abah, admonished the community leaders to follow up the demands with their legislatures and other political representatives, to ensure that it received desired legislative attention.

Abah urged them to take advantage of the approaching campaigns and electioneering period to advance the charter of demand by ensuring that only candidates committing to respect the charter would receive their support.

The traditional ruler of Nkaleke Unuhu community in Ebonyi Local government area, HRH, Sunday Oketa, speaking for the traditional rulers, applauded DIG foundation, describing the meeting as a new dawn in constituents – Legislators relationship.

Stating the objectives of the meeting the Executive Director of DIG Foundation, Oliver Aja Chima, disclosed that the interface was geared at drawing the attention of members of the House on identified key sector issues and gaps around health, education and WASH.

Meanwhile, one of the Legislators, Victor Aleke, representing Ebonyi North West State constituency, in his part, decried the poor performance of the State in health and other areas, and charged community leaders to pray for the leaders and do assessment to the intending representatives and not hoping on the frivolous gifts during campaign.

Recall that the Community Charter of Demand documents were recently developed by the communities’ stakeholders during separate Community Charter of Demand Development meetings held recently across the selected communities by DIG Foundation, sponsored by USAID – State2State.