By Adeola Ajakaiye

Copyright businessday

The administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state, as indicated, is ready to strengthen partnerships and co-create solutions with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the state, in tackling challenges of governance.

Accordingly, the administration said the partnership it intends to strengthen will focus on how to effectively implement policies and programmes in the areas of education, health care, gender justice, climate action, anti-corruption advocacy, and conflict resolution.

The governor stated this while declaring a two-day conference with the theme: ‘Empowering CSOs in Kano for a Sustainable Future: Uniting for Active Democratic Participation, and Grassroot Development’, which opened Monday, in Kano.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, who had in attendance a cross-section of experts drawn from civil society, academia, and development actors, said the event was organised as part of his administration’s commitment to democratic governance, accountability, and grassroots development.

Read also: Kano to spend N14.8bn on new development projects

“Today’s gathering is more than just a conference, but rather a practical demonstration of a statement of partnership between government, civil society, academia, and development actors united under the theme, and to reiterate that civil society organisations are the conscience of the society.

“They amplify the voices of the vulnerable, monitor government actions, and mobilise citizens for meaningful participation. As noted in Kano, your resilience has been evident in areas of education, health care, gender justice, climate action, anti-corruption advocacy, and conflict resolution.

“Your role is indispensable, especially at a time when democratic governance is being tested by socio-political and economic challenges. At this juncture, I must commend the organisers who bring together such a broad and representative group of stakeholders.

“This platform offers us the opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships, and co-create solutions. Permit me, therefore, to reaffirm that the places of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity are at the heart of our governance.

“We are doing this through initiatives such as the State Safe Corridor Program for Youth Rehabilitation and Empowerment, the revival of the State Data Center, and reforms in procurement and monitoring. The government is determined to ensure that the dividends of democracy reach every community”, he further said.

Governor Abba noted that his administration recognises that sustainable development cannot be achieved by government alone, and therefore counts on civil society organisations to partner with us in policy formulation, project monitoring, and citizen mobilisation. In this way, together we can bridge the gap between government plans and community realities.

In his address earlier, Ibrahim Abdulahi Waiya, who is the state commissioner for information nd internal affairs, said that the deliberations during the two-day conference will focus on strengthening the institutional capacity of CSOs for effective service delivery.

Read also: Enduring lessons from Kwankwaso’s strategy for governance and curtailment of insecurity in Kano

He further said that the program was designed to promote synergy between government, private sector, and civil society organisations for collective impact, harnessing technology and innovation for civic engagement and youth empowerment, and building resilience in fragile contexts, particularly addressing issues of insecurity, drug abuse, and social exclusion.

“I hope that the community that will emerge from the conference will serve as a roadmap for sustainable collaboration, and I assure you that the government will study it and integrate its recommendations into our policies and programs.

“Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, let us leave here with a renewed commitment that the future of Kano State lies in our collective resolve to empower communities, strengthen democracy, and drive development from the grassroots upwards”, Waiya quipped.

The two -day conference attract participants, which includes CSOs practitioners, such as: Oyebisi Babatunde Olusheyi, executive director, Nigerian Network of NGOs, Lagos, Harry Udoh, chairman, Ethnics and Good Leadership Awareness Initiative, Abuja, and the lead paper entitled’ Strengthening Democratic Governance Through Civil Space’, was delivered by Abdulhamid Abdullahi, a professor for department of Local Government Administration and Development, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaira.