By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja .
The Managing Director/Editor in Chief,Stallion Times Media Services,Mal.Isiyaku Ahmed, has stressed the need for Journalists and members of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in kogi state to synergise for effective tracking of constituency projects in the state.
He stated this on Tuesday in Lokoja at a Two-way Training Workshop, organised for Journalists and CSOs in the state by Stallion Times in conjunction with Wole Soyinka Centre for investigative journalism, funded by MacArthur foundation.
Our Correspondent reports that the objective of the work include, building capacity of Media/CSOs on Budget proceses and procedures, training Journalists)CS Advocates on how to track constituency projects and improve on the capacity of on how to write investigative stories on constituency projects.
He cautioned Journalists to know the power of the media and to be very careful the way they use it because there is an agenda on every issue they report.
Ahmed, who is also the Project Coordinator of the workshop which has the theme:”Tracking Constituency Projects” Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve Project-GDRIP, said the synegy would go along way towards enhancing social and economic development of the masses,especially in the rural communities of the state.
According to him, the masses see Journalists and CSOs as potent forces
that can counter the excesses of politicians, with a view to entrenching good governance and make elected office holders accountable for their actions, in their capacity as the representatives of the people in governance.
“Therefore, the tracking of the constituency projects by these groups is key to the economic growth and development of Nigeria as a developing nation.
Ahmed expressed the hope that at the end of the workshop, Journalists would have garnered more knowledge in the way they write stories and feature articles on budget tracking and put the lawmakers on their toes towards being responsible to the electorate and the nation as well deliverying quality services to the people.
“This is why this 2-Day Training Workshop has its theme “Get involved, Dialogue and Improve Project (GDRIP)”, to see how participant could synergize on how best to track the projects in various communities, ” he said.
The coordinator disclosed that Stallion Times planned tripartite dialogue with journalists, CSOs and lawmakers in the state aimed at impacting much positively on the people and the society.
He urged participants to take as much knowledge from the workshop as much as they could to enable them boost their efforts in the task of transforming the society.
Ahmed, who lectured Journalists on the use of media for effective advocacy, described advocacy as a process of influencing decision-makers to find lasting solution to problems among others.
The Stallion Times boss,who also described advocacy as all encompassing, called on Journalists to leverage on the opportunity of their advocacy to add voice towards enhancing the process of ensuring better society.
He, however, reminded Journalists on the need to plan very well before embarking on advocacy by knowing their mission and vision and how to achieve their aims and objectives in such tàsk.
In his address of welcome, the Chairman,Nigeria Union of Journalists, kogi State Council, Comrade Adeiza Momoh-Jimoh, gave kudos to the management of Stallion Times for their continued commitment in collaborating with journalists in the state, on tracking constituency projects.
Momohjimoh, who was represented by Alhaji Ibrahim Obansa of the Guardian Newspaper, expressed optimism that journalists would garner more knowledge and experience from the workshop and use them to Improve on their work to better the society.
An expert on development issues, and a staff of Budgit,an NGO,Mr Henry Omokhaye, who traced history of constituency projects to 1999, during Obasanjo administration,stressed the need for an articulate budget tracking by Journalists and CSOs.
He enumerated the Importance of budget tracking to include; to ensure Project standards and requirements were maintained by contractors and government institutions take informed decision on funds allocation during development process and entrench accountability in the execution of programmes among others.
He, however, stressed the need to involve Journalists in every processes and procedures of budget to ensure quality reporting and ensure that the life of the people is Improved.
According to him, Journalists would do well in the tàsk of achieving the desired budget tracking by factoring in the idea of using necessary social media platforms to get valid information about the projects being tracked among other sources of information, to achieve better results.
Our Correspondent reports that no fewer than 36 participants are participating in the work which is expected to end on Wednesday.
The workshop is the last by the organization in kogi state for 2022, according to the coordinator.
