Pulse.ng : CNG suggests community-based approach to end challenges in North-West

By Abbas Bamalli

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) in Katsina State, has suggested a massive awareness campaign to promote community-based approaches to address socio-economic challenges in the region.

Mr Abdullahi Kabir, the state’s Coordinator of the coalition, announced this while reading a communique at the end of their community engagement meeting in Katsina on Thursday.

According to the CNG coordinator, the decision, which is one of their recommendations, is to move away from sole reliance on government-led solutions.

He said that participants at the meeting observed a critical need to encourage local communities to take charge of their socio-economic destinies.

“Participants emphasised that the security challenges and other problems facing the North, can only be overcome through civic engagement, purposeful local leadership, resource mobilisation, collaboration with security agencies and government at all levels.

“Stakeholders also called for strong collective action to address the region’s challenges.

“The culture of collective responsibility must be fostered, where communities work together to identify common problems and devise localized strategies towards problems-solving.

“This entails total departure from the prevailing retrogressive culture of lamenting, blame-games, communal intolerance and incessant abuse exchanges,” Kabir said.

He pointed out that in the light of these discussions, the participants arrived at resolutions which the CNG adopted as part of the proposed solutions to effectively address the challenges.

Kabir mentioned the following as the resolutions: “The participants reviewed and adopted the recommendations of the security round table committee to establish and promote peace initiatives through formation of structures.

“The formation of the structures was to address the challenges with clearly defined responsibilities for the governments at all levels, CSOs, traditional institutions, religious groups, communities and individual members of the society.

“Ensure that communities are not only heard but are actively involved in decision-making processes, especially those affecting their lives directly.

“Encourage partnerships between government, civil society, and local organisations to facilitate community-driven solutions.

“Support the establishment of the Peoples’ Forum (Zauran Al’uma) at all levels through which the recommendations of the round table and the resolutions of the engagement would bequeath implementation of the Arewa Peace and Development Initiatives.”

NAN