Report of the Interactive Session between SCEEP Communities of Kabo and Local Government Election Aspirants
By Sagiru Ado
On Friday 26th January, 2018, the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has organized an Interactive Session between SCEEP communities Kabo local government and local government election aspirants. The program was conducted at Ni’imah Guest Palace, Kano and attended by the political aspirants from different political parties, members of the SCEEP communities, Religious and Traditional Rulers, Student Unions, People With Disabilities, Women Groups, Media and Security Agencies. The interactive session was organized ahead of the 2018 local government elections in order to hold the political aspirants responsible and also present to them the Community Development Charters (CDCs) or village books produced by the SCEEP communities of Gammo, Godiya and Garo in Kabo local government.
Addressing the participants at the beginning of the Interactive Session, Malam Isyaku Garba, Program Coordinator, said that major objective of the village book is to serve as Community Development Charter for Strengthening Citizens’ Engagement in the Electoral Process (SCEEP) but specifically, the abridged CDC is to serve as a tool for community participation in governance through:
- Identifying and documenting issues affecting the Kabo local government Community, and produce a temple for the citizens’ engagement with duty bearers.
- Building the confidence of the Kabo local government citizens to make development demands from their representatives and
- Publicizing the experiences, knowledge and aspirations of the Kabo local government citizens in one document for easy scrutiny.
He added that the interactive session was part of Department for International Development (DIFD) supported project “Strengthening Civic Engagement with the Electoral Process SCEEP through ActionAid Nigeria, CITAD has been implementing since 2015.
Malam Umar Muhammad, Deputy Director Planning, Research and Statistics highlighted major issues in the books. During the highlight, the SCEEP communities involve in Kabo local government included: Gammo, Godiya, and Garo. And the status of education in these communities, as at the time this study was conducted, was harmonised as follows:
| Total number of children currently enrolled in school: 1076
Excluding Garo community |
Total number of boys: 225 | Total number of girls: 548 | Total number aged below 5 years: 345 |
| Total number aged 6-10 years: 265 | Total number aged 11-15 years: 236 | Total number aged 16-20 years (if applicable): |
| Total number who have completed primary school in the community:Â 9,443
|
Total Male: 5517 |
| Total Female: 3926 | |
| Total number who completed secondary school in the community: 8,022 | Total Male: 4814 |
| Total Female: 3208 | |
| Total number completed tertiary in community: 561
|
Total Male: 292 |
| Total Female: 269 | |
| Total number of adults who have never attended school in the community:Â 13048
|
Total male: 5212 |
| Total Female: 7836 | |
The chairmanship aspirants and councillorship aspirants at event were allowed to make comment especially on afore mentioned issues highlighted in the documents. In his comment, Hon. Nura Tsoho Gude, chairmanship aspirant of the People Democratic Party (PDP) thanked CITAD and said that almost CITAD has done more than 70% on what he is willing to do. He then assured that he will work when elected with all the stakeholders that put hands together in producing the village books.
In his part, Ho. Abdullahi Muhammad chairmanship aspirant of New Progressive Movement (NPM) raised concern on the health, education portable water and drug abuse problems. He promised to do all what he could to address the problems. Hon. Jibrin Saleh chairmanship aspirant of Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP) talked about People Living with Abilities and Women considering the challenges they face in all endeavors.
The event also witnessed the presence of the following councillorship aspirants: Hon. Ismail Usaini of PDP, Godiya ward, Hon. Usman Tijjani Shehu of NPM, Gammo ward, Hon Mustapha Isyaku Kanye of ANRP, Kanye ward, Hon. Isyaku Abubakar Balan, of NPM, Balan ward, Hon Usman Garba Garo of NPM, Garo ward and Hon. Sani Garo of PDP, Garo ward,