The Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), in partnership with Youth Renaissance and Development Initiative (YORDI), has organised a one-day workshop for Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and journalists as part of efforts to strengthen citizens’ participation in environmental policy formulation and accountability in government across 46 communities in Bayelsa State.
The Senior Project Officer of SDN, Flora Esiere, said the programme with the theme “Strengthening Environmental Policy and Accountability in Government (SEPAG) project” aims to set up community-based groups across the 46 communities that will work closely with state advocacy and monitoring groups in amplifying policy related issues in Bayelsa State.
She said that the community-based groups which will have a spread across the eight local government areas of the state will be meeting quarterly and engaging state actors in ensuring that citizens from the selected communities take ownership of government policies and projects that affect their lives.
She further said that the SDN through the project intends to develop infrastructure that are going to bring succour and address main issues that Bayelasans are facing, as well as ensure that Civil Society Organisations are not working in isolation from the communities that are in need of development.
Esiere said: “This programme will be holding on quarterly basis. We will be meeting and updating the public on our progress with the help of the journalists. That is why we have involved the media in this project because they have the capacity to amplify our engagements.”
In her address, SDN’s Project Officer, Christiana Ibinabo Idasefiema said the project is geared towards working with community members and journalists for a better outcome of the SEPAG project.
“For the past three days, we have been teaching them on what to do. They are now going home with new knowledge on advocacy engagement, especially as regards to working with government officials.
“For example, on the issue of flood the community-based groups will see how community people can come together and engage the government on how to proffer solution to it.
“This affects the government and not only the community people. So, when we engage them, we can know the policies they have put on ground to that effect.
“It is not going to be business as usual. We need to talk about these issues. If the result is not going to come from the state government, it should come from the Federal Government,” Idasefiema said.
Speaking on behalf a non-government organization, Youth Renaissance and Development Initiative (YORDI) working with SDN at the local level, Keme Opia said that participants are drawn from communities across the local government areas who can represent the developmental interest of the people.
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