By Patience Ogbodo Correspondent, Bauchi

Democracy which has been described as government of the people, by the people and for the people is of paramount importance to all citizens especially those in rural areas in order to improve their standard of living.

It was in view of this that CITAD, a Bauchi-based non-governmental organisation collaborated with RTI/LEAD, a USAID-sponsored project in training people at the local government level on computer study as part of its effort in strengthening democratic local governance in Bauchi State.

The group in its effort to ensure that the rural populace is computer literate embarked on training of over 168 people in computer studies in four local councils of the state, namely Bauchi, NIngi, Katagum and Dass. Local Government staff, Civil society organisations, teachers from these four local councils received training on Microsoft word, excel, power point and use of Internet.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the presentation of certificates to 85 council staff that were among those trained in computer study, the CITAD Executive director, Mallam Ya’u Zakariya Ya’u said they were motivated to embark on the training to promote democracy at the council level.

He said: “Democracy encourage people to have access to information and local Government is the closest arm of Government for citizens at the grass root, we realized that the LG have very poor documentation system and If you have poor documentation system, there is no way you can provide information, so we decided to train these people at the local government on computer study so that they will apply this computer skills to the process of documentation and therefore build a quality information system at the local Government level.

“For one to be able to promote transparent and accountability, you need information, if local government do not organize these information, they can not be accountable, and there can not  be transparency ,mso we want to make sure that local government have information readily available that they can give to citizens which can promote democracy.

“We have  also train other CSO’s and teachers on computer becuse we taught there is need promote collaboration and partnership between civil society ad Government. So we thought while we are training the Government officials, we should also train the civil society people so that they can speak the same language, they attained the same programme and they have access to the same skills, apart from that we have also utilize our time during the programme to train teachers in both primary and secondary schools in some of the LG as well as staff of the zonal education department in different LG.

Speaking at the certificate presentation ceremony, Zakariya  Ya’u  advised the graduands to effectively utilise the skills acquired during the training saying “As it has been said knowledge gain is knowledge that you have, however if you do not make effective use of that knowledge, it is not necessarily effective knowledge. It is our hope therefore that you will put into practice the skills that you have acquired, the knowledge you have acquired, and the new ideas that you have come across during these past two months of engagement. Its only when you use them effectively that it will bear fruits, and justify the investments your organizations, like LEAD and CITAD have made into putting the programme in place.

“We will like to point out that ICT is a dynamic sector, saver changing. What we have done is to introduce you to some basic ideas and basic skills. It is important that you build the interest to regularly update yourselves so that you can acquire new skills and keep up with the technology as it keeps on changing. We do not think that what we have given you is that you will remain stagnant with. We believe that you continue to periodically update, upgrade, improve, and therefore be at where always with the current ideas and knowledge in the field so that you can derive the maximum benefit in it.

“Technology offers us a lot of potentials to improve governance, to improve citizens’ participation, to improve access to information. As it has been said, one direct benefit is to improve your documentation system.

By Patience Ogbodo, Correspondent, Bauchi

Bauchi State Coalition for the Improvement of Public Expenditure Management (BACIPEM) says budget implementation in 2012 was poor. The group attributed the poor show to overdependence on the Federation Account allocation.

BACIPEM led by the Centre for Information Technology & Development (CITAD) Senior Programme Officer, Kabir Sa’idu Dakata, stated this during a visit to the State House of Assembly Appropriation Committee.

He noted that the 2012 recurrent expenditure was favourably tilted to the capital expenditure in the ratio of 60 to 40.

Dakata stated that the 2013 budgetary allocation to the education sector including the State University is N9,584,197,686 or 7 percent of the total budget, representing 12.9 percent of the capital budget.

He  said it was far less than the 25 percent recommended by UNESCO and does not reflect the stated priority given to the sector.

Dakata further told the House Committee that the allocation to the health sector of N5,522,691,470 represents only about 7.5 percent of the capital budget which, he argued, is far less than the 16 percent recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

He added that  agriculture which, according to Governor Isa Yuguda is on the top priority, is allocated only N4,218,313,144 or 3.07 percent of the total 2013 budget which is less than 10 percent.

The Maputo Treaty mandates states to commit a total budget estimate to the sector. Malam Kabir Dakata therefore urged the House Appropriation Committee to improve allocation to the health, education, and agriculture to the respective international benchmarks to the sectors.

Dakata also urged the committee to conduct public hearing on the 2013 budget to get further inputs from the public, as he stressed the need for the state to diversify its revenue base to meet challenges of development.

He expressed optimism that BACIPEM suggestions would propel Bauchi State further towards a more transparent and accountable public expenditure management system that will result in value for money and make it easier for citizens to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

Responding, the House Appropriation Committee Chairman, Mohammed Dan-Abba Shehu, said the Assembly has also set in motion a body to collate the views and demands of communities across the state with a view to incorporate them into the budget.

He said, “They are already on ground, they have gone to all the local government areas of the state trying to find out what the people need, so already the state House of Assembly has set up a team that went out for the exercise and at the end of it the result will be incorporated into the 2013 budget.”

He explained that it is not the first time the House is setting up such a body as it has been doing it for the past three years, positioning Bauchi as the first state among the 36 states in the federation in the domestication of the Public Procurement and Fiscal Responsibility laws for the state.

By Patience Ogbodo,  Correspondent, Bauchi

Bauchi State  Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Mohammed Aminu Ibrahim, says the education subsector in the  state has been getting the required 26 percent budgetary allocations under the administration of Governor Isa Yuguda.

Ibrahim stated this  when he received delegation from  the Centre for information Technology and Development (CITAD) during an advocacy visit in his office.                                           He said, “Bauchi State Ministry of Education in terms of budgetary allocation has got more than 26%, previously we were getting up to 30% in budgetary allocations, which is still on course in keeping with the required world demand,” the commissioner said.

He explained that  as a result of the improved budgetary allocations the ministry has been able to improve the lots of the people.

The commissioner also unveiled a collaborative plan between the state government and the World Bank to introduce a number of policies into the education sub-sector for which only three states in the federation namely Bauchi, Anambra, and Ekiti are found suitable for the programme.

“We are also working tirelessly to improve the strength and capacity of parents/teachers associations at the school level whereby the parents, teachers, and civil society organizations could be part of it”, he stated.

He  said the Ministry would soon introduce the School Management Committees whereby teaching will be step down to school level where parents, teachers, communities, civil society organizations, women groups would be involve in the management of resources at the school level.

He noted that it was not the first time the Ministry is collaborating with CITAD, stressing the need for more areas of cooperation with it especially in the area of capacity building and training for teachers with the approval of the 2013 budget.

Ibrahim advised CITAD to meet with the people at the Due Process Office where, he explained, a lot of changes have been going there for up-date on the happenings, stating also that all top government officials have attended one form of training or workshop on fiscal responsibility and procurement laws of the state.

Speaking earlier, CITAD Senior Program Officer, Kabir Sa’idu Dakata they were on advocacy visit to the ministry with members of the Bauchi State Coalition for Improvement of Public Expenditure Management (BACIPEM).

Dakata explained that the visit is to brief the Ministry on the activities of the Coalition, suggest on how to improve on implementation of public procurement and fiscal responsibility laws of the state, and present copies of the Coalition Charter.

He  also expressed CITAD’s willingness as an ICT based organization to partner with the Ministry in building the capacity of secondary school teachers on ICT, especially on current challenges such as training of examination officers on online registration and related matters.

By Sylvester Enoghase  –   Lagos

Reviewing how the capacity building for media would helped to focus more attention on improving Maternal health accountability, especially the lives of the most vulnerable within the societies the Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani   has declared that targeting investment in skills development of media, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) would enhance their productivity in Nigeria

Rafsanjani, while calling on the three tiers of Governments’, the Federal, states and Local Government  to initiate policies toward strengthening the capacity of various stakeholders , especially the media through an enabling platform to engage maternal accountability in the country during a two-day roundtable on Maternal Health among CSOs, legislative, executive and the media in Kaduna and Kano States organized by CISLAC with support from MacArthur Foundation also stressed that Civil Society Organisations, Community Based Organisations and the Media, have benefited immensely from CISLAC’s efforts toward maternal accountability in the country.

Whilst recognising the nation’s health related diseases challenge could be brought to the front burner through a sustained capacity building for media and other stakeholders, he said the use of social media as tool would create visibility for maternal mortality. He stressed that such measure would not only ensure an increased focus on enablers of economic development in the three tiers of Government levels in the country.

Continuing, he said the “particular meeting is considered to be crucial because it is one of its kinds, in the sense that it provides stakeholders such as you the opportunity to deliberate on this burning issue on maternal health, with the hope of securing commitment from the various stakeholders to perform better towards safeguarding the lives of our women/mothers/ daughters/sisters and indeed securing our future.”

Rafsanjani lamentation a situation where in Nigeria, one in 13 women die in pregnancy or childbirth, and 12 per cent of children die before reaching the age of five without adequate publicity  to make the nation’s leaders come nearer to the mases

“A number of factors contribute on the poor maternal health services in the country. The challenges are complex and arise essentially from poor legal and regulatory frameworks, poor primary health care as well as economic and socio-cultural challenges”, he claimed.

Also, a dearth of infrastructure, health personnel and equipment, plague the Nigerian healthcare system going by records from the World Health Organisation (WHO) sows that in Nigeria, only 39 per cent of births take place with assistance of medical personnel.

“Coupled with the scarcity of skilled attendants, such absence of personnel impedes the effectiveness of health services by women”, he said.

Another major impediment to maternal health, he said, is attributed to corruption among the political class, or lack of political will to engage the process.

“It is in view of these that CISLAC, in partnership with MacArthur Foundation, seeks to advocate for proper actions as deemed fit by members in the National Assembly, members of the State executives, the CSOs and Media, that will enable us progress to eradicate maternal mortality”, he stressed.

He recalled the presentation by the Executive Director of CITAD, Mallam Y. Z. Ya’u describing the social media as shorthand for new communications technologies that use ICT media tools that are unique in three important ways to transcend time and space constraints.

The training, he said, “has made it clearer that ICTs are dynamic and fast changing, creating new platforms and services that have far reaching utility in social activism.”

He stressed that in the analysis of Mallam Ya’u, the adverse of social media in journalism has brought about the collapse of space and time; emergence of alternative media form; while eliminating borders in the dissemination of news. There is a growing demand, he said, for more open, accessible and informative news media, as well as the making of readers/listeners/audience as makers of their own news.

“Our ongoing capacity building that would take place in the six geo-political zones in the country would boost how the media would use the Social Media as a tool for news such as Smart phones, which allow for photograph, record audio and video and copy textual document that journalists can use to promote reporting of reproductive health issues in such ways as sending out tweets about news break or news items; use facebook to cultivate followers to assess and get feedback on how media can deliver digital content delivery: cuts cost and time”, he said.

Speaking on “The Role of Legislative Reporters in Repositioning Maternal Health within Kano State House of Assembly”, General Manager Operations of Freedom Radio Group, Kano Dr. Umar Saidu Tudunwada said “journalists and parliaments share some important roles that give them the capacity to impact on public life. They are whistle blowers, and because of their oversight functions, their words are taken seriously. A collective effort between the media and parliament, would surely guarantee a sustainable attention and appropriate priority placed on maternal health issues.”

He reiterated that the media engaged in parliamentary coverage, has the duty to disseminate information between the public and their representatives; just as trained journalists should help the public to better understand various laws passed by legislators, and how such legislation could affect them. The media, he noted, must continue playing their role of agenda setting by emphasising important issues covered in the media, until they become are registered in the sub-consciousness of the people as issues of priority importance.

Dr. Tudunwada said capacity building in the media could bring to the limelight how maternal health is the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and afterwards including the health care dimensions of family planning, preconception, prenatal, and postnatal care in order to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.

“It is sad to note that a woman dies every 10munities, on account of pregnancy or childbirth, giving a total of 53,000 deaths per year. About 800 women die in every 100,000 births. About 528 newborn babies’ dies everyday of neonatal mortality, one of the highest in the world.

“It is unfortunate that 1 million children die under the age of 5 years annually, more than a quarter of them during the first 28 days of life because from record out of each 100,000 live births in the North West, 1,026 mother die. The highest number of under five children (Under 5 Mortality Rate) is in the North West, where 269 children die out of every 1,000”, he said.

He recommended different models that can further help the media in its advocacy cause of maternal health, insisting that since journalism mirrors the society, “we should always consider the realities of the society in consonance with its norms and value in promoting its ideals”.

“In the case of maternal health, it is easy to use Islamic values, to show the position of women in Islam, the reverence of mothers over fathers in Islam, to reflect ,as the mirror does,  on the Islamic perspectives of health and longevity to draw the attention of the legislators and to put across, a case for maternal health in a more convincing way; Professional Model.

“As professional, it is the responsibility of the journalist to conduct all the necessary background research and get knowledgeable enough, to be able to speak competently on the subject, in this case, maternal health, and present it to the audience.”

He also stressed that “it is the responsibility of the government all levels to take care of the needs of its people, especially under political dispensation. Both executive and legislative arm of the government owe the society a responsibility to take care of their women and children”.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in Kano State has produced a film in Hausa language on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for children.

CITAD Media Officer, Alhaji Sufiyanu Kabo, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Kano.

He said the film, entitled: ‘Fasahar Sadarwa Don Yara’, meaning, `ICT for Children’, would enable children between seven and 16 years to learn ICT skills. He said the film was also produced to simplify the ICT jargons for easy understanding among children.

“In addition, the film will provide children with opportunities to use modern technology to enhance their learning in all subjects.

“It is meant to make children grasp the concept of the computer as an indispensable tool.

“Children will learn the history of computer; its different parts; functions; uses and the types of computers.

“They will also learn the various professional callings people can aspire for in information technology sector,’’ he said.

Kabo said the centre found it necessary to produce the film to encourage government and individuals to assist in deploying ICT equipment in both rural and urban schools.

“It is expected that teachers can use it as an active learning tool for computer studies in basic level of the education curriculum.

“It will also develop children who will be confident users and critical evaluators when interacting with ICT among others,” he said.

The media officer said the film, which would be distributed free, would be launched simultaneously in Abuja, Bauchi, Dutse and Kano in January.

By Patience Ogbodo, Correspondent, Bauchi

The Federal Government is currently building 109 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) community centres, one in each senatorial districts of the country as part of effort to make majority Nigerians ICT-literate.

Executive Director, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), a non-governmental organization, Mallam Yunusa Zakari Ya’u who disclosed this said the federal government ICT project is coming under the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) programme.

Ya’u who was speaking at a sensitization seminar on ICT in local government administration held at Dass in Bauchi State, explained that the ICT community centres project is being funded from the proceeds of income tax on communication companies.

He therefore advised local governments in the country and in particular Bauchi State to partner with community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations or the private sector to host the ICT centres in their respective domains.Mallam Ya’u said the local governments could also directly approach the USPF with proposal to directly partner in the setting up of community telecommunication centres.

Ya’u also disclosed that Galaxy Backbone plc is a federal government  telecommunication/bandwidth that donates USAT equipment to communities, local governments and other agencies for the establishment of community centre in either school or in under-served or un-served areas.

He said: “Local governments can leverage this to provide internet connectivity in their secretariats or in community centres and schools in the local government areas.”

He further explained that a number of organizations donate web space to local communities and communities grounds to establish online presence of local governments and their community efforts.

Ya’u said the gesture would not only help to attract assistance but also create visibility for the economy programme of the local governments that could attract foreign investment.

According to him, such websites could be used for local e-governance, e-commerce, e-learning and telemedicine programmes, among other purposes for community mobilization.

Ya’u pointed out that where local governments have problem accessing the relevant manpower, they can tap many of the online volunteer schemes which included individuals who are ready to provide technical assistance free of charge to community organizations from training to website building, and to other forms of online-based assistance.

He stated that local governments could therefore leverage to create online presence for themselves and their communities as part of the process of exposing their investment potentials to the world.

By Patience Ogbodo Correspondent, Bauchi

Bauchi State government has been urged to create internet website in all the 20 local government secretariats in the state.

The call was made weekend in Bauchi at the end of a four-week computer training organized by a Bauchi-based non-govermental organization, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in collaboration with RTI/LEAD, a USAID project.

The training was organized for Bauchi local government staff.

The participants, who commended CITAD and RTI/LEAD for the training, said this is the first time such gesture will be extended to council staff.

They expressed optimism that the creation of website in their secretariat would enable them access information on the internet.

They also enjoined government to provide more computers in their secretariat to enable them explore all they learnt during the training, noting that it was only few offices that have computers in the council, and empahsised the need for provision if more computer systems.

Speaking at the event, the Programme Assistant of CITAD, Abdulahi Barau, said the participants were trained on various packages which included Microsoft word, Microsoft excel.

He said the aim of the training is to ensure that council staff are computer literate as the world is a global village, adding that such training would enable them carry out their duties effectively.

Barau, who said CITAD and RTI/LEAD is working in four pilot councils, assured that the training is going to be continuous.

By Patience Ogbodo Correspondent, Bauchi

A Bauchi-based non-governmental organisation, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has called for the streamlining of the composition of the councils established under the Public Procurement and Fiscal Responsibility laws of Bauchi State.

The Executive director of CITAD, Mallam Ya’u Zakariya Ya’u, stated this during a press conference at NUJ secretariat, Bauchi, noting that some provisions of the two laws have to be amended by Executive bills to be sent to the state House of Assembly for the purpose of the amendments.

Ya’u   called on the Bauchi State government to immediately commence the processes of the review and amendment of the two laws by sending bills to the state House of Assembly for the amendments.

He described as outrageous the 30 membership composition on each of the councils established under the two laws, saying that such councils established under similar laws enacted by the federal government were each composed of only 12 members who were mainly civil servants and technocrats unlike the inclusion of politicians as in the case of Bauchi.

He noted that Bauchi was one of the first states in the federation to have domesticated both the Fiscal Responsibility and Public Procurement laws which would have made it to claim leadership position in that regard.

He said: “Bauchi State needs to reclaim the initiative by acting quickly to address the amendment of the two laws and get them fully implemented.” Ya’u also called on the state House of Assembly to initiate a speedy process for consideration of the amendment to the two laws, saying the press is paying more than casual interest in the implementation of the laws and to the general development profile of the state.

He said the state government should commit itself to the full and effective implantation of both the Public Procurement and Fiscal Responsibility laws through the constitution of procurement and fiscal responsibility units as provided in the two laws.

He also called the Bauchi State government to direct all MDAs to set up their procurement offices, appoint procurement coordinators and set up necessary procurement sub-committees of their tender boards, saying: “Government should also print and circulate the Public Procurement and Fiscal Responsibility laws to government officials and to the wider public so as to ensure that officials and citizens know and understand the intentions of these laws.”

He then stressed the need for the state government to develop framework and mechanisms for consultative processes in budget making process so that ordinary citizens could be able to offer their perspectives on how their needs could be addressed.

Other demands of CITAD to the state government included the respect for the autonomy of local government councils to provide them with space to carry out their programmes and activities on the basis of community felt needs and in accordance with constitutional provisions.

He therefore called on the Bauchi State government to mainstream gender and disability in all development processes, especially through economic and political empowerment and appropriate affirmative action for women.

By Patience Ogbodo,  Correspondent, Bauchi     

The Chief of Party RTI/LEAD International, a USAID-sponsored project, Mr. Don Seufert says the partnership between his organisation and Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), a Bauchi-based NGO is to strengthen democratic local governance in Bauchi State.

Seufert stated this while speaking at the certificate presentation ceremony to 85 LG staff trained by CITAD on Computer study.

He observed that the training will motivate them to utilize the knowledge acquired for effective service and self-growth.

“For LEAD and the partners (CITAD & CLGAs) it will improve local government operations and management system leading to increased transparency in the local governments operation which is of the Lead programme objective.”

He described the occasion as very important for Lead, the beneficiaries and CITAD, expressing optimism that the knowledge and skill acquired during the training would when put to use improve local government operations and management system.

Seufert explained that the mandate of CITAD is to develop the capacity of local government staff in information technology with the aim of improving LGA documentation, communication & information sharing, as well as retrieval of information.

Speaking earlier, the CITAD Executive director, said CITAD has trained 85 staff in four local governments of Bauchi, Katagum, Ningi and Dass in Microsoft word, excel, power point, and the use of internet in the last two months. He  noted that its only when the graduands use the knowledge acquired effectively that it would bear fruits, and justify the investments their organizations have made into putting the program in place.

Ya’u described ICT as a dynamic sector and server change, as what CITAD did during the training was the introduction of participants to some ideas and skills, hence the need for them to build interests and update themselves so as to acquire new skills and keep up with the technology.

“We do not think that what we have given you is what you will remain stagnant wit, we believe that you continue to periodically update, up-grade, improve, and always be with the current ideas and knowledge in the field so that they can drive maximum benefit in it.

By Patience Ogbodo,  Correspondent, Bauchi

The world today is a global village, no little thanks to Information and Communications Technology. The craze to “belong” among those that have it has set nations and peoples hobnobbing even with those they would have used the proverbial long spoon in dining with. And the reason is not far fetched, seeing that developed countries rely on ICT for their advancement and every sector of the economy is driven with technology.

Not taking it serious is condemning oneself to slow pace of development, if at all.

In an effort to ensure that Bauchi people acquire adequate knowledge on information technology, a non-governmental organisation, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has commenced senstization training for local government staff in the state.

CITAD which is supported by RTI/LEAD, a USAID sponsored project, works in four champion local government areas of the state with the aim of sensitizing local government staff and other stakeholders, especially the chief security officers in various communities on the use of Information and Communications Technology for effective delivery.

Other objectives of the programme is also to increase  the capacity of local organizations by strengthening the organizational and service capacity, and increasing transparency of local government operations.

Speaking during the sanitization workshop which was organized for local government staff in Ningi and Dass Local Government Areas,  the programme officer of CITAD, Isa Garba said  the training is to equip the participants on MC – word, Excel, internet utilization, and other applications that complement effective carrying out of the daily activities of local government staff.

Garba said: “As you know the world is a global village, the training will equip them as well as prepare them for the training that will be coming up after the sensitization in the next two to three weeks.

“Been a sponsored programme by USAID through RTI/LEAD  which has been  operating in four champion local government areas in Bauchi State, namely Bauchi, Ningi, Katagum and Dass.”

While stressing that the training on ICT is particularly for the local government staff of the four councils, Garba revealed that it may be extended to other local government areas depending on the decision of RTI/LEAD that supports them.

“The first phase is to sensitize them on the theory aspect so that they can perform better in the practical training  that will come up soon; we will organize three months training for them after the sensitization training.

”He then appealed  to the participants to keep pace with all the presentations, and hoped that it would be an eye opener and free them from any fears they may have had about learning and practising computer knowledge. He expressed confidence that beneficiaries of the training programme would make proper utilization of the skills to be acquired during the seminar.

By Patience Ogbodo, Correspondent, Bauchi

The Chief of Party RTI/LEAD International, a USAID-sponsored project, Mr. Don Seufert says the partnership between his organisation and Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), a Bauchi-based NGO is to strengthen democratic local governance in Bauchi State.

Seufert stated this while speaking at the certificate presentation ceremony to 85 LG staff trained by CITAD on Computer study.

He observed that the training will motivate them utilize the knowledge acquired for effective service and self-growth.

“For LEAD and the partners (CITAD & CLGAs) it will improve local government operations and management system leading to increased transparency in the local governments operation which is of the Lead programme objective.”

He described the occasion as very important for Lead, the beneficiaries and CITAD, expressing optimism that the knowledge and skill acquired during the training would when put to use improve local government operations and management system.

Seufert explained that the mandate of CITAD is to develop the capacity of local government staff in information technology with the aim of improving LGA documentation, communication & information sharing, as well as retrieval of information.

Speaking earlier, the CITAD Executive director, said CITAD has trained 85 staff in four local governments of Bauchi, Katagum, Ningi and Dass in Microsoft word, excel, power point, and the use of internet in the last two months.

He  noted that its only when the graduands use the knowledge acquired effectively that it would bear fruits, and justify the investments their organizations have made into putting the program in place.
Ya’u described ICT as a dynamic sector and server change, as what CITAD did during the training was the introduction of participants to some ideas and skills, hence the need for them to build interests and update themselves so as to acquire new skills and keep up with the technology.

“We do not think that what we have given you is what you will remain stagnant wit, we believe that you continue to periodically update, up-grade, improve, and always be with the current ideas and knowledge in the field so that they can drive maximum benefit in it.

By Patience Ogbodo, Correspondent, Bauchi

A Bauchi State-based non-governmental organization, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has said that persistent delayed commencement of budget implementation in the state leads to recurring late presentation, passage, and its assent.

Addressing a press conference in Bauchi weekend, CITAD Director, Ya’u Zakariyya Ya’u said because constitutionally and conventionally the budget year starts from January 1 – December 31, all processes of consideration of the state appropriation bill including its assent by the governor should be completed within the stipulated period.

Yau said that it is in line with it’s commitment to consultative processes in the development and governance that its partner, Bauchi Coalition for Improvement of Public Expenditure Management (BACIPEM) undertook series of community needs assessment in various communities across local governments in Bauchi state.

He explained that the forum has helped communities to identify and articulate their development priorities which it distilled and published in its Community Development Charter.

The Director  gave key areas of common concern and interest for the communities as education, rural infrastructure, poverty alleviation programmes and women issues as encapsulated in the charter.

He then  called for the amendment of some provisions in both the public Procurement Law and Fiscal Responsibility Law of the state to make them fit for effective implementation.

He  also spelt out the coalition demands to the Bauchi State government which include quick presentation of the 2013 appropriation bill to the State House of Assembly to ensure early consideration and passage of the budget to avoid delay in implementation.

The organization wants the state government consolidate and sustain the consultative process with citizens and their groups on development and governance issues in the state, and reflect key priorities of communities as in the Community Development Charter. He also wants the Bauchi state government to develop partnership with civil society groups for effective monitoring and implementation of the budget.

He stressed the need for the state government to conduct local government elections in the state to ensure citizens elect their representatives.

He said, “Bauchi State House of Assembly should support proposal for constitution amendment to grant local government autonomy, and equally support for granting the Houses of Assembly financial autonomy.”

By Patience Ogbodo-Iwuagwu Correspondent, Bauchi

The Bauchi State Information Commissioner, Salihu Ibrahim Halilu, says the social media have the potential to facilitate dialogue, exchange of information and ideas, and to organize and galvanize for collective action.

Halilu stated this during a training workshop on the use of social media for peace campaign organized by a non-governmental organisation,  Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), held at River Hedge Hotel Bauchi.

He also noted that social media networks are very active in defending social, environmental and political rights, freedom of the press, as well as denouncing human rights abuses.

He explained that social media and mobile communication plays significant role in transforming virtual ideas into public action, as it also allows access to information not intended in corporate media in the preparation of peace in the society.

Halilu said social media  sites and tools could be effectively and positively used for public mobilization and campaign for peace and community integration, as well as for harmony and social cohesiveness.

He pointed out that youths have the potential to build cross cultural links with other religions, ethnicities and backgrounds through the use of social media and popular means of interaction.

The commissioner also noted that social media have created spaces for more people than at anytime past in the history to become engaged with important issues of our time.

“They have made a significant and enduring difference to the way people organize for social and political activism, create economic opportunities, facilitate disaster response, link networks across national divides, and share previously inaccessible information and knowledge”, he added.

By Bashir Mohammed
Kano

Programme Officer, Centre For Information Technology and Development(CITAD), Abdul-Ganiyu Rufai Yakubu, has described forest mapping as a major catalyst for containing the persistent scourge of cattle rustling all over the country.
Speaking at a one-day workshop on forest mapping, taking Kamaku forest as a case study, organised by CITAD in conjunction with Google developers at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Yakubu also stressed the need for effective networking of all the major black spots in the country where cattle rustling had almost become a recurring decimal, saying such activities “can be monitored via the web sites.”
He said the persistent activities of cattle rustlers was becoming a battle too tough for even the security agents to handle “looking at the thick and complex nature of the forests where cattle rustling has taken a disastrous toll on the Fulani whose cattle were almost rustled on a daily basis,” adding that with effective mapping the security agents would be able to identify their targets.

He said CITAD had also seen the compelling need to introduce the Cattle Rustling Information System (CATRIS) which could also serve to make the issue of broader networking feasible,
He said: “What we all want from the security agents is constant provision of information on where and when a certain incident is taking place. We can only beam our search light and identify the exact location via the websites the security agencies would use our findings to pounce on their targets.”

Yakubu revealed that the issue of conflict resolution could be exhaustively tackled through the adoption of modern techniques of digital age communication such as mapping the forests, stressing that CITAD had deemed it appropriate to chose Kamaku Forest as a case study “looking at its strategic importance in solving the problem of cattle rustling.”
He called on the partners responsible for developing Google to be alive to their responsibility, “most especially now that the challenges of addressing the issue of insecurity are enormous.”

Link  http://www.blueprint.ng/2015/07/09/forest-mapping-catalyst-for-containing-cattle-rustling-citad/

Ganin yadda satar shanu ya addabi al’ummar Fulani da sauran masu kiwo, musamman a Arewacin kasar nan, wasu cibiyoyi da hukumomi, da ma daidaikun mutane sun dukufa wajen samar da hanyoyin da za a bi wajen saukake, ko magance irin wannan annoba da a kullum makiyaya ke zama cikin zullumi. Hanya ta baya-bayan nan, ita ce

wacce wata cibiya mai wayar da kan Fulani game da fasahar zamani wajen magance wannan mummuna abu ta fito da ita.

Bayanin wannan shiri yana kunshe cikin wata tattaunawa da Jami’in yada labaran na wannan cibiya, wato ‘Center For Information And Technology (CFIT)’, Malam Safyanu Lawal Kabo ya yi da manema labarai a Kaduna cikin makon nan a lokacinn da suka gabatar da wani taron bita ga Fulani don ilimintar da su hanyoyin da za su bi na zamani don hana satar shanun.

Jami’in yada labaran ya ci gba da bayyana cewa sun zo Kaduna ne domin gabatar da taron wayar da kai ga al’ummar Fulanin Game da wannan annoba ta satar shanu da ta addabe su a jihohin Arewacin kasar nan. Ya ce ba a Kaduna kawai suka gabatar da irin wannan taron bita ba, “mun je mun yi a Zamfara, mun je mun yi a jihar Bauchi, sannan kuma ga shi mun zo jihar Kaduna,” in ji shi.

Ya ci gaba da cewa suna gabatar da wadannan taruka ne domin wayar da kan Fulani game da hanyoyin da za su bi na zamani wajen kare kansu da dabbobinsu daga miyagu, “muna ilimantar da su hanyoyin da za su bi na fasahar sadarwa wajen yaki da wannan sata ta shanu a dake yi. Sannan kuma muna ilimantar da su ta hanyar wannan taron bita, irin yunkurin da muke yi na tattara irin wadannan matsaloli. Yanzu haka muna kokarin fito da na’urar gano inda aka nufa da shanu bayan an sace su, wato ‘Tracker’, ta yadda duk inda aka shiga da wadannan shanu za a iya ganinsu”.

Ya kuma bayyana cewa ba su kadai ne za su dauki gabarar gabatar da wannan aiki ba, za su hada da duk wasu masu ruwa da tsaki a harkar, musanmman gwamnati da sauran jami’an tsaro. Kuma suna sane da cewa yanayin satar shanun sun bambanta da na jihohi. Ya ce, yanayin satar shanun Zamfara daban da na Katsina, daban da na Kaduna. “Za mu bayar da hanyoyin amfani da na’urorin zamani, musamman wayar hannu, ta yadda za mu ilimantar da Bafillatani abin da ya kamata ya yi idan an zo satar masa shanu.

Yanzu haka horon da muke bayarwa ke nan, na yadda za su yi amfani da ‘WhatsApp’. Akwai koyarwar da muke yi na yadda za su yi amfani da kananan wayoyi na hannu, ta yadda da zarar ka tura wasu lambobi, to za a iya gane cewa an sace shanu kaza a wuri kaza, kuma an nufi wuri kaza da su. kuma a yanzu haka.

Link    http://hausa.leadership.ng/node/9198