Communities in Abia State have been sensitized on the importance of identifying their Key Development Needs towards the State’s 2020 Budget

Communities in Abia State have been sensitized on the importance of identifying their Key Development Needs towards the State’s 2020 Budget.

Speaking at the sensitization program, held at the Michael Okpara auditorium, Umuahia, the Focal Person Open Government Partnership, Mr. Amaechi Chukwu stated that the objective of the meeting is to expound the space for the citizens to have a say in government as the partnership gives the citizens a level play ground to identify their needs so as to guide the government in its execution of proposed projects in their various communities.

Also speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Co-operatives, Rural Development and Poverty Reduction, Chief Eze Sunny Egbulefu said the program which is targeted at creating awareness and enlightening the general public on the need to participate in the State’s governing process, also aims at bringing the government closer to the people, identifying their key needs in the community as well as its actualization.

He also revealed that townhall meetings will be held and thereby urged the participants to interact by making known the key needs in their various communities so as to enable Government swing into action.

The Permanent Secretary charged the Community Development officers to assist in identifying the needs and liaise with the Open Government Partnership and the Abia State Planning Commission for inclusion of these Community Key Development needs into the State budget.

Also the Representative Civil Society Organization and member OGP Service Delivery Technical Working Group, Mr. Richard Okoro said that Open Government Partnership (OGP) has come to stay and thereby pledged his support towards it, calling on the people of Abia State to embrace the project with open arms as it is geared towards their participation in the budget and day to day governance of the State.

The program which was organized by the Ministry of Co-operatives, Rural Development and Poverty Reduction in partnership with the Abia State Planning Commission, featured the presentation of the Community Key Development Needs Assessment template to the various Community Development Officers present.