By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Project Coordinator of the Stallion Times Media Services, Isiyaku Ahmed said capacity building of stakeholders is for effective engagement with government and private sector to establish a permanent dialogue mechanism for participatory governance.
Mallam Ahmed made the remarks at one-day workshop tagged: “Get Involved, Dialogue and Improved Project” (GDRIP), funded by MacArthur Foundation held at Modern age event Hall, Lokoja over the weekend.
He also advocated for active involvement of citizens in the process of governance to boost all embracing government business across the country.
The coordinator enjoined participants at the workshop to make judicious use of the rare opportunity to improve themselves in the practice of journalism in the society.
In his goodwill message, Ambassador Idris Ozovehe Muraina, the Co-Chair of Open Government Partnership (OGP) (Non- State Actor), Kogi state, commended Stallion Times Media Services for its untiring efforts to foster transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in governance.
“I want to specifically commend the Stallion Times team for their unwavering dedication to advancing the principles of open government and for their commitment to driving positive change across their project sites in Nigeria.”
“This capacity building session marks a significant milestone in our collective journey towards building open, inclusive, and responsive government systems that truly serve the needs and aspirations of our citizens.” He said.
He pointed out that the establishment of a robust Permanent Dialogue Mechanism is crucial in ensuring that the voices of all stakeholders, including civil society organizations, government agencies, and citizens, are heard and integrated into the decision-making processes of the state.
He pointed out that Stallion Times is helping to build a more inclusive and equitable society for future generations by promoting transparency, fostering dialogue, and engaging citizens in the governance process.
Ambassador Ozovehe called on participants to collaborate, learn from one another, and forge strong partnerships that will strengthen the foundation of open government in Kogi State and beyond.
Representatives of Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), Council of Ullama, journalists drawn from Print, Electronic and Online Media in Kogi were amongst those trained on Capacity Building on Permanent Dialogue Mechanism by Stallion Times Media Services.
