EU ACT Equip CSOs, Others On Better Approach To Humanitarian Development

March 28, (THEWILL) – The Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State has applauded the European Union through its Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation Programme, for providing necessary tools for smooth operation of their members despite overwhelming challenges bedevilling the region, ravaged by prolonged armed conflict.

Speaking during the close-out ACT Programme event with the theme: “Reflecting on the Results and Lessons Learned in Borno State, which was held in Maiduguri, the Executive Director, CSOs, Comrade Bulama Abiso, said that they had been trained on how to engage with the government effectively.

Comrade Abiso said training of traditional, religious and community leaders, was a master stroke of the programme in the state, considering their roles to the grassroots people.

“As you all know, this state was bantering by more than a decade insurgency, so the issues of humanitarian development require training of actors, you must be well equipped, well informed and capacity is well built.

“This is what EU did for us for the past three years, our capabilities was built on how to work with fragile communities, to map, advocacy and sensitising them.

“We appreciate EU and its partners and we assured them that we are going to step down all the training to other members.

“Let me assure you that we will set up monitoring team where to ensure we sustain the capacity building and liase with government agencies to ensure things are done in accordance to humanitarian act in the state”, Comr Bulama assured.

Speaking, the Chairperson for Coaltion of Women Led-CSOs, Mrs Ladi Clark Musa, said EU, through the British Council, has empowered no fewer than 23 Civil Society Organisations in Borno with capacity-building to strengthen their operations.

“So far, so good; our Organisations have benefited particularly in capacity building, our capabilities have been enhanced in different formulation of our policies even in our interventions.

“It has helped us secure more funds from donors and this adversely improve our services to improve the lives of vulnerable people in the communities”, She disclosed.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, ACT Monitor and Evaluation Advisor for National Programme Manager, Iliya Ambi, noted they developed capacity development plans with CSOs with a view to reposition them to become drivers of sustainable development in the state.

“We have been working with 23 CSOs partners in all Programmes and practices, so this is closure phase of our Programme in the state.

“The programme has had quite number of values to CSOs, the way they operate, we identified some gaps that are unique to every of these organisations and we concluded that for them to be drivers of sustainable development in the state they would require some capacity building and provided tailored-made and specific support to them cutting across various thematic areas to be able to build their capacity.

“All these CSOs have gone ahead to secure additional funding thereby establishing their sustainability and continuity as organisations.

In his remarks, ACT Borno State Focal Person, Mr Markus Uba, stressed the need for CSOs to partner with the government, adding that they had been trained on how to engage with the government effectively.

The ACT Programme, funded by the EU and implemented by the British Council in 10 states including Borno, Adamawa, Lagos, Sokoto, Edo and five others was designed to strengthen the capacity of CSOs and to make them more impactful.