Centre For Environment Human Right and Development (CEHRD) supported by National Endowment for Democracy (NED) organized a one day workshop Today, August 23,2019 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria with the Theme: The Challenges Facing Inclusive Governance Methodologies in Rivers State.
In his opening remarks, Mr.Kentebe Ebiaridor one of the keynote speakers, said ‘the people need to have a say in the governance by their inclusion in terms of decision making by the Government as regards to issues that affects them directly such as security, infrastructural development, employment, budgetary allocation among others’.
He regretted that in most cases, the people need to have somebody working in Government before development can get to their domain.
Large number of participants in the programme stated that most Government officials are in office for their selfish interest and not to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.They argued that Government at all levels rarely include the people in decision making process which is a major ingredient in inclusive governance.
A participant from one of the local Government area of the State revealed that He does not know what budgetary process is all about as his council area had never consulted the people in any decision making process.
Participants also identified party affiliations,insincerity and corruption as some of the major challenges facing inclusive governance in Rivers State.
Earlier, Michael Chidozie a representative of CEHRD explained that the major focus of the programme is to establish a community parliamentary committee to partner with Civil Societies to engage the Government.
Mr Chidozie asserted that in achieving the set goal, there is need to create a platform for data management which will make it easier in engaging the Government.
Revelation Agents reports that the media, students, Civil Societies Organizations as well as community representatives were all in attendance.
