By Israel Mbam
Stakeholder from the three Senatorial zones in Ebonyi State have adopted the draft document for Citizens Engagement Strategy for budget process in the State. This was the outcome of the Zonal Stakeholders Consultation meeting held for the three zones from 21st to 23rd October, 2025 at the Local Government Service Commission headquarters, Abakaliki by Development and Integrity Intervention Goal (DIG)Foundation.
The Zonal Stakeholders Consultation dialogue was part of the activities for the drafting of Ebonyi Citizens’ Engagement Strategy to enhance participatory budget process in the State.
According to DIG and it’s partners, the document, when finalized and adopted, is expected to provide framework on how government should engage the citizens in the budget process to ensure that community priority needs are effectively captured.
The consultative meeting tagged: “Zonal Stakeholders consultations on Ebonyi Citizens Engagement and Participation Strategy” had stakeholders from Ebonyi North, Central and South senatorial zones attending in each of the days respectively.
In his welcome address, the Executive Director of DIG Foundation, Chief Oliver Aja Chima, said the Zonal Stakeholders Consultation meeting was to harvest the contributions of the locals to further shape the final outcome of the document, which he emphasized was geared towards consolidation, institutionalization and sustainability of all reform initiatives, in line with the People’s Charter of Needs mantra of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration.
Explaining further, he said, “What this means is that even if the permanent secretaries and other present bureaucrats who are citizen oriented retires, there is already a document on ground on how Ebonyi citizens are being engaged in the budget process for the incomings to work with.”
He added that the strategy document was part of DIG Foundation’s project tagged “Advancing Citizens Engagement Strategies for Participatory and Accountable Local Governance, (ACES4PALG) in Ebonyi state, with support from Nigeria Youth Futures Fund.
Stakeholders at the meeting including Traditional rulers, Town Union Presidents and other executive members; chairman and members of the State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts; planning, research and statistics staff of local government areas, religious leaders as well as community women and youth leaders, among others made individual and collective input on the document.
They acknowledged that the document would enhance participatory governance and build trust between the government and the governed.
In their goodwill messages, some State actors present at the meeting, including House of Assembly committee chairman on Public Account, Hon. Godwin Abiri and his vice, Stephen Orji Igwe; the Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Chief Romanus Nwasum, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget, Lady Rose Ugwuoma Ibe, and the State Auditor-General, Mrs Agatha Nnenna Ekuma, harped on the imperative of citizens’ active participation in the budget process.
While Hon. Abiri assured that as the representative of the people, he would use his position to advance the strategies of people centred governance in line with the Governor’s Charter of Needs agenda, Mrs. Ekuma commended the Governor for the transparent disposition of his administration.
She emphasized that Ebonyi at present ranks among the top states in Nigeria maintaining yearly efficient Citizens Accountability Report.
On his part, the project Lead consultant and Development expert, Dr. Ibiam Azu Agwu, explained that the major significance of the meeting was to harness local content to enable the strategy document to align with the dreams and aspirations of the citizens who are the end users.
“The essence is that by the end of this meeting, we can proudly say that the citizens engagement strategy document is a true reflection of what the citizens can actually, proudly and confidently use to engage government towards ensuring that whatever they get from government actually reflect their felt needs,”
Some stakeholders who spoke to newsmen, including the traditional ruler of Mgbom n’echara community in Ohaozara LGA, Eze Chukwuka Okorie; those of Okpuitumo in Abakaliki and Nkaleke in Ebonyi LGA, Eze Stephen Ukpa and Sunday Oketa respectively, applauded DIG Foundation for the initiative.
Other community stakeholders who spoke, including Chief Donatus Orji from Edda LGA, the state Chairman of the Association of Town union Presidents, Augustine Akpu, his Vice, Emmanuel Chukwu and Chief Gabriel Uroh Ewa, town union President of Ibii/Ozziza community in Afikpo LGA, described the meeting as timely, going by the need for the rural dwellers to be active players in their own affairs.
They promised to take the message of the meeting home to sensitize their people of their right to make input in governance.
Part of the submissions of the stakeholders at the meeting was that the document be translated in vernacular to enable rural dwellers benefit from its provisions.
Highlight of the meeting was the distribution of the 2024 Citizens Accountability Report on the implementation of the 2024 state budget by the Auditor-General of the state.
