USAID S2S Activity tasks Gombe Information Officers on good governance communications
A State to State(State2State )Activity Communications Specialist Mr Israel Odiba, has urged Information Officers in Gombe State to be proactive in disseminating activities of their respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies to enhance good governance.
Mr Odiba,gave the urge at a one-day workshop on Governance and Public Financial Management communication, organised by the United States Agency for International Development. (USAID) State Accountability Transparency and Effectiveness State2State Activity for information officers of key Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs ) and Local Government Areas (LGAs).
He said as government continues to implement various programmes and policies it is important that, information officers keep people of Gombe State informed on government reform agenda.
Odiba reiterated that communication plays a vital role in promoting good governance hence it value cannot be overemphasized.
The State2State communications specialist said it is in view this that the USAID State2State activity organisationed the workshop to improve the information officers knowledge and understanding of Public Financial Management( PFM) Reforms,and other governance Reforms.
This he added, is to ensure that the IOs communicate the reforms effectively and efficiently to citizens in a clear,simple, inclusive, accessible,engaging and conflict sensitive manner.
He explained that evidence has shown that communication activities can help achieve sustainable public sector reforms, foster support by influencing opinion attitudes and behaviour change.
“At the structural level, communication links citizens, civil society, the media and government forming framework for national dialogue throughout which informed public opinion is shared,” Odiba added.
He highlighted key elements in communication saying communication is not complete without feedback.
“Citizens need to understand and measure the outcome of policies they voted for.Govenance communication is about building relationships, ” the Communications Specialist said.
The Gombe Field Office State2State Local Governance Manager Hajiya Zariyatu Abubakar Hashidu, gave an insight on inclusive communication urged the participants to appreciate and consider people with disabilities in their reportage.
She charged them to be sensitive and avoid use of discriminatory languages and as well make their communication disability inclusive and accessible to promote inclusion and participation.
Hashidu said stories that centre on people with disabilities should be balanced and affirmative.
Gombe State2State PFM Specialis Mr Oluwatosin Oke, gave an overview of PFM interventions to Budget Preparation that involved monitoring on timely issuance of 2024 budget and call circular and training for LGAs on participatory budgeting.
He said, “Multi -year budget performance.Analysis, completion and submission of Gombe Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)expansion strategy and completion and submissionof Gombe State communication strategy .The State Communication Strategy was developed to make government’s Communications effective.”
He also reiterated the importance of communication to good governance saying if the public are accurately informed , it will strengthen trust between government and the citizens.
Other interventions by the State2State in Gombe State till date are the IGR ICT Strategy, Tax service charter,tax dispute resolution guide among others.
The Gombe state Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists Comrade Saidu Bappah Malala, appreciated State2State for the training saying this will go along way in the dissemination of government’s activities and policies.
He said this will achieve effectiveness, accountability and transparency in Governance.
Malala enumerated challenges faced by information officers and other journalists to include inadequate manpower, skills and logistics.
He advised for training and retraining of members to be knowledgeable and skilled in writing their news report or issuance of press releases .
Participants developed an action for more effective governance and PFM communication in Gombe state.
Some of the action plans listed are creation of social media platforms for MDAs, upload pictures of citizens budget on social media, upload MDA level summary of budget performance report on social Media, translation of the 2023 citizens budget to hausa language and upload on social media.
