By Tasi’u Hassan
Civil Society Organizations in Adamawa state have applauded British Council, for supporting their activities through a programme tagged “Agents For Citizen-Driven Transformation, ACT”.
The CSOs made the commendation Tuesday during the closure of the ACT Program held at AUN Hotels Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
Speaking, the program officer of the Community of Adamawa Civil Society Organization, CACO, Mr. Emmanuel Maduka, says CACO has successfully implemented laudable projects in various communities across the state courtesy of the EU- -ACT programme.
Also highlighting key results and impact of the programme in Adamawa State, the state Focal Person of the EU – ACT programme, Rabi Adamu revealed that as a result of the advocacy training and other supports by ACT, there has been much improvement in strategy engagement between CSOs and different stakeholders including government agencies and community leaders.
Speaking on the sustainability mechanisms, Professor Abubakar Bashir of the Society for Promoting the Productivity of Youths, SPPY, explained that one of the mechanisms they put in place is to get the backing of the traditional rulers because of their roles in boosting community development.
“One of the mechanisms that we put in place is to get the backing of the traditional institutions because the traditional rulers are the natural leaders of those places. Chairman of councils would come and go, governments’ staff can go, but traditional institutions/leaders are permanent”, Professor Bashir added.
The Adamawa State Commissioner of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, and Reintegration, Bello Hamman Diram, represented by Indagiju James, lauded the impacts of the ACT programme in the state and encouraged CSOs and NGOs to always collaborate with the ministry for the proper execution of their projects in the state.
Earlier in his remarks, the ACT National Program Manager, Mr. Damilare Babilola, says the programme which ends this year, is funded by the European Union and implemented by the British Council in 10 states selected in the six geopolitical zones in the country.
He explained that the focus of the programme is “To support Civil Society Organizations strengthen their capacity to become effective and credible agents of sustainable development as well as also to facilitate collaborative and strategic engagement and coordination between CSOs and other critical stakeholders to enable the regulating environment for the CSOs”.
Dr. Damilare, who added that over the last five years, they have provided strategic planning and capacity development training for over 20 Civil Society Organizations, Non-Governmental Organisations, and Community-Based Organizations in Adamawa state, advised the organizations to continue to use the capacity for the betterment of the people of Adamawa state even after the ACT programme.
During the event, the ACT National Program Manager presented awards to some civil society organizations.
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