Yiaga Africa, a non‑profit hub of change‑makers for the promotion of democracy, good governance and civic engagement, on Friday held a People's Assembly forum for the stakeholders of Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency. The forum served as a platform and provided an opportunity for the constituents to garner knowledge, processes and deliberate on issues that matter to them in their communities.
Speaking at the session held at Moringa Hotel, Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, Yiaga Africa Senior Program Officer Antonia Onda stated that the People's Assembly brings together people at the constituency level to deliberate on issues that matter to the constituents in their communities, table them for implementation at the federal level and achieve tangible goals. She noted that most times people participate only during elections and that democracy goes beyond voting, adding that people need to hold their representatives accountable and demand project implementation within their communities.
“So Yiaga Africa gives them the opportunity to come together to deliberate on issues germane to them.”
Also speaking on the importance of the programme, Mr. Abiodun Adeleye, who represented Rt.Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka, the House of Representatives member for Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency, said Yiaga Africa organized the programme in order to educate various groups on their rights and on the responsibility of their representatives at the National Assembly and the State Assembly so they can engage them. He added that Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency being singled out for the programme showed the effectiveness of the Representative at the National Assembly. He also added that Hon. Isiaka would be willing to embrace any form of change, as that day’s discussion would improve what has been happening impactfully and positively at the constituency in the past.
“People's Assembly is not new to us, but with a different nomenclature. Some inputs, changes they are trying to introduce— we will take, look at, embrace and inculcate into the system where we effect our information for the needs of assessment for our Federal Constituency. We always talk to people, requesting their needs, and with that we carry out the final decision on projects to do and implement.”
In attendance at the People's Assembly forum were representatives of groups from the constituency, including traditional rulers, religious leaders, trade association leaders, Community Development Committee leaders, NURTW, people living with disability, representatives of Ogun State Assembly members of the constituencies, students, female artisans, National Youth Council of Nigeria, among others.
At the Assembly, Yiaga Africa programme officers educated the People's Assembly on deliberative democracy, processes of engagement with their representatives on issues, follow‑up and implementation of the recommendations.
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