The United States Agency for International Development Nigeria State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness Activity has commenced a two-day governance orientation for USAID funded implementing partners in Gombe State
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the event which commenced on Thursday, will round off on Friday 17th January, 2025.
In his welcome remarks, Gombe State Team Lead, Muhammad Abubakar, said that State2State has been working with USAID implementing partners, which includes USAID Leveraging Education Assistance Resources in Nigeria; and, Mercy Corps, implementing a resilience programme, Feed the Future – Rural Resilience Activity and others.
State2State had previously worked with USAID SENSE and SCALE projects. Working with SCALE CSOs and the State House of Assembly led to the passage of the Disability Bill into law which was assented by the Governor in December.
Gombe STL Abubakar commended the Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, for not only signing the bill into law but establishing a Gombe State Disability Commission and appointing a qualified person with disability, Dr Ishiyaku Adamu as the pioneer Executive Chairman of the Commission.
” It underscores the government commitment to inclusivity and carrying everyone alone and leaving one behind as required by the Sustainable Development Goals. The Government was also praised for creating budget line for Early Grade Reading (EGR) Budget lines for pupils to learn how to read in the 2025 budget,” Abubakar added.
Declaring the two days workshop open Special Adviser to the Gombe State Governor on Development Partner Coordination, Dr Isiyaku Babayo, lauded the State2State for the engagement, describing the implementing partners coordination meeting as imperative.
“This is important; it will ensure that there is no duplication of projects as an implementing partner is expected to highlight their plans and programmes,” he added.
Babayo who was a former staff of both USAID SENSE and USAID Learn to Read, urged participants to justify the huge investment used to organise the workshop through their valuable contributions.
On her part, The LG Manager Zariyatu Abubakar Hashidu, gave the specific objectives of the workshop, saying “To further enhance participants’ knowledge, understanding, and skills in governance orientation, to equip participants with basic governance analysis tools and its application to contextual scenarios, Ensure alignment and complementarity of the activities of IPs with the objectives of State2State and promote sustainability, Deepen participants’ knowledge and understanding of the steps to mainstreaming Gender Equality and Social inclusion sensitivity in programme design and implementation and Enhance partners’ knowledge by developing comprehensive approaches that integrate gender-sensitive and disability-inclusive strategies in conflict management and prevention.”
Our correspondent reports that State2State has also participated in several technical and planning sessions of USAID IPs. For example, in FY2024, State2State strengthened its collaboration and coordination approach by working closely or in collaboration with USAID (IPs), strengthening and leveraging existing state government and civil society relationships, as well as aligning activities/interventions with other USAID programs/activities in the state. This was achieved through the coordination mechanisms and support systems/platforms established to facilitate result-oriented partnerships and collaboration between and amongst the IPs.
State2State also with the International NGO Safety Organisation, funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and other donors, that recently established a presence in Gombe State, expanding from Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States, to support those affected by conflict, natural disasters, and crises.
The present meeting is aimed at enhancing participants’ knowledge and understanding of State2State’s governance approach and promoting the sustainability of State2State’s interventions in the state. USAID IPs support the State Government in many sectors. These collaborations have extensively resulted in detailed partnerships for sustainability and the provision of technical assistance.
