Advocacy - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Philip Daniel Yatai
May, Fri, 2025

Research coy advocates data-driven solutions for grass-root governance

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By Ijeoma Olorunfemi

A research and advisory company, Veriv Africa, is advocating for data-driven solutions to address governance and reforms across the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the country.

Ms Omotayo Faro, Managing Director of the company said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Faro said that local governance reforms had become necessary following the 2024 Supreme Court judgment that upheld local government autonomy in the country.

She said that the company had begun research on local governance, strengthening initiatives in collaboration with Nigerian Youth Futures Fund (NYFF), starting with Kaduna State.

“Through this NYFF-supported initiative, Veriv Africa aims to equip local governments and civil society with data to strengthen service delivery, empower youth and communities to hold decision-makers accountable.

“This will demonstrate a scalable model for governance reform across the 774 LGAs.

“Improving governance begins at the grassroots and the data-driven solutions will put communities at the centre of development,” she said.

She said that the project focused on five LGAs in9 Kaduna state, which include Chikun, Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South and Zaria.

She said that the project assessed the gaps in governance such as agriculture, healthcare, education, vocational services as well as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

“It offers vital, evidence-based insights into the realities of service delivery and development at the local level.

“The insights can help to prepare Kaduna and other Nigerian states for a more accountable, transparent and community-driven future.

“The assessment revealed that the education sector in Kaduna State suffers from chronic underfunding, with more than 90 per cent of respondents reporting inadequate learning materials.

“In the healthcare sector, in spite of the physical presence of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), service delivery is hampered by inadequate infrastructure and staffing.

“More than 59 per cent of respondents reported the absence of doctors or nurses in their local PHCs, raising serious concerns about access to quality care,” she said.

She further said that the assessment showed that the agricultural practices in the state had been constrained by insecurity, poor access to inputs, inadequate extension services and weak market systems.

According to her, farmers continue to face barriers, with many citing government interventions as inaccessible or ineffective.

“In WASH, residents of Kaduna LGAs face widespread water shortages and poor sanitation, while over 93 per cent of respondents experience water scarcity in the previous three months.

“Another challenge is poor toilet facilities, thereby contributing to poor public health outcomes,” Faro said.

She urged policymakers, development partners and civil society actors to collaborate on scalable reforms across LGAs and also get the details of the report on www.verivafrica.com.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Veriv Africa is a research and advisory company dedicated to leveraging data, technology and domain expertise to transform data into actionable intelligence. (NAN)

Edited by Fatima Sule Abdullahi/Kadiri Abdulrahman

NAN, LAWMA partner to deepen waste management advocacy

Tosin Kolade
Mar, Fri, 2025

Environment

NAN, LAWMA partner to deepen waste management advocacy

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By Fabian Ekeruche

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to deepen waste management advocacy.

The NAN delegation, led by Mrs Ifeyinwa Omowole, Head of Lagos Editorial Operations, was received at the LAWMA headquarters by its Managing Director, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin.

Omowole expressed gratitude to LAWMA for the efforts made by the authority in the area of waste management in the state.

She noted that NAN’s wide outreach, if leveraged on, could help in deepening the efforts of LAWMA in advocating a cleaner Lagos.

She listed some of the products of NAN, like the PR Wire Service and others that LAWMA could subscribe to in telling the authority’s story.

“The proposed partnership will also include the production of documentaries showcasing LAWMA’s initiatives and successes, further amplifying the agency’s impact and reputation,” Omowole said.

Also speaking, Gbadegesin commended the delegation for the interest in partnering LAWMA for media mileage and visibility.

He said the huge role of the media in driving sensitisation could not be overlooked, as people continued to migrate to Lagos.

He said in spite of LAWMA’s ongoing sensitisation, some residents remained unaware of proper waste mnagement practices.

“Migrants that come into Lagos must be educated on LAWMA’s policies to prevent improper waste disposal. The LAWMA advocacy team has been doing this, to ensure every resident is adequately informed,” Gbadegesin said.

He added that LAWMA would remain committed to transitioning from a linear waste management model to a circular economy model where nothing is wasted.

“We aim to replicate Sweden’s model, where compactor trucks and buses run on biomethane, reducing landfill dependence and enhancing environmental sustainability,” he stated.

Gbadegesin noted that LAWMA’s recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ghanaian firm, Jospong Group, to improve waste management in the state.

He added that the initiative was in line with LAWMA’s broader vision of diverting 90 per cent of waste from dumpsites through innovative recycling and resource recovery strategies.

He also stressed the significance of the Private Sector Participation model, which comprised 428 operators working in partnership with LAWMA to manage the city’s daily waste generation of approximately 13,000 tonnes. (NAN)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Lydia Beshel
Jan, Fri, 2025

Religious

Group trains educators to become religious, belief freedom advocates

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Advocates

By Angela Atabo/Justina Auta

Empower Women Media, a multi-faith network, on Thursday, in Abuja trained educators with the necessary skills to become advocates and promoters of Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FoRB’s leadership training has as its theme: “Educators as Advocates for Peaceful Coexistence “.

The training which was attended by over 50 educators and advocates from across the country was organised under the auspices of the “Live What You Believe Project” of the group.

Mr Felix Samari, Country Coordinator, Live What You Believe Project Nigeria, explained that FoRB does not protect any specific religion, but rather protects people because it is a fundamental human right.

Samari said that every individual has the right to believe in whatever they choose or not believe at all as enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reinforced by Section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution.

He, however, said that there were gaps in FoRB awareness in Nigeria as some politicians and religious leaders continue to fan the flames of hate and intolerance, causing deep divisions and undermining national unity and progress.

Samari said that the training was crucial because teachers, whether at the primary, secondary or university level, are the bedrock of any society.

Samari said that Live What You Believe Project Nigeria, strongly believed that educational institutions could be a great asset in promoting FoRB by providing objective and expert insights through deliberate and robust research.

More importantly, he said, by working with students to understand and apply the principles of religious freedom in daily life, a more tolerant society would be created.

The event’s Keynote Speaker, Alkasim Mohammad, who spoke on “The Role of Teachers in Providing Stability on Matters of Religion in Nigeria, urged teachers to instil in students the values of respect, love, and coexistence.

Muhammad urged teachers to ensure that classrooms remained safe spaces for learning and interaction across religious lines.

The keynote speaker also urged teachers to discourage extremism through critical thinking to prevent the spread of religious misinformation and extremist ideologies.

He encouraged teachers to foster moral and ethical values, encourage interfaith dialogue, counter religious misinformation and provide emotional and psychological support.

Dr Longji Dambok ,a FoRB Trainer, called for the need to accept and inculcate FoRB into the society and urged religious leaders to teach tolerance for a unified and peaceful society.
A participant, Rahinatu Tukur, the Amira of FOMWAN, Jema’a Local Government, Kaduna State, commended Empower Women Media for the training.

She added that educators have been better equipped with the requisite knowledge on how to inculcate FoRB in students for national unity.

Another participant, Prof. Emem Olutoke of the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Abuja, said that religious tolerance held the key to national unity, peace and development.

Olutoke urged that participants should not rest on their oars but continue to imbibe in students and the society the need for FoRB for a better society.(NAN)

Edited by Mark Longyen