ABSTRACT:

Local government administration has been adopted as the fundamental instrument for the acceleration and sustenance of rural development. It serves as a vehicle for political education and mobilization. Several efforts have been made towards moving the system from local administration to local government with functional political and economic autonomy. Despite the recent autonomy that local governments have gained in Nigeria, they are still faced with the challenge of educating citizens on the functions and responsibilities of their local government and its representatives. This makes it difficult for citizens to hold their representatives accountable. This article relays the findings of the implementation of #MyLGA Project in Niger State under the support of the Initiative for Social Development in Africa (iSODAF) in collaboration with Enough Is Enough Nigeria (EiE Nigeria). The project is currently being implemented in 5 states of the federation. The project is aimed at bringing the community/citizens closer to their local administrative governance, as well as promoting transparency, accountability and responsiveness in local government administration.

INTRODUCTION:

Bida is the second largest city in Niger State in North central Nigeria with an estimated population of 178,840 people (2007). It is located southwest of Minna, capital of Niger State, and is a dry, arid town. There are several towns and villages in Bida, which include Pategi, Kutigi, Mokwa, Baddeggi, Katcha, Lemu, Lapai, and Enagi. The predominant tribe/ ethnic group in Bida is the Nupe ethnic division, as it is the headquarters of the Nupe Kingdom. In particular, the Etsu Nupe group (presently Etsu Yahaya Abubakar)  is the traditional ruler of the area. Islam is the widely practiced religion in Bida LGA with the Nupe language being the most prominent language. Key landmarks in the area include the Federal Polytechnic Bida and the Niger state school of Nursing, with one of the most popular festivals being the Durbar festival. The LGA consists of districts/Wards which includes Bariki, Cheniyan, Dokoodza, Ma’asaba A, Ma’asaba B, Masaga A, Masaga B, Umaru Majigi A, Umaru Majigi B, Landzun, Kyari, Nasarafu,  Mayaki Ndajiya and Wadata. 

The leadership style of the ancient town of Bida is emirship, and the head of the town is addressed as  Etsu Nupe. Other tribes include Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Igala and Gbagi, Ibira.

Geography of Bida:

Bida LGA occupies a total area of 1,698 square kilometres and has an estimated average temperature of 30 degrees celsius. The area has a humidity level of 31 percent while wind speed is put at 9 km/h. The landscape of Bida LGA is characterized by large expanses of dry, arid lands. Other landmark areas in Bida are  Bamisu estate, Ramatu dangana, ECWA poly road, Small Market, Main Market and the Federal Medical Centre (Bida) others. Some notable schools include the Federal Government Girls College Bida, Federal Polytechnic Staff Secondary School, Government College, Bida.

Economy of Bida

Agriculture is an important economic engagement of the people of Bida LGA with a plethora of crops cultivated in the area. Trade is also a critical part of the economy of Bida LGA with markets such as the Bida Main Market attracting thousands of buyers and sellers. Modern Bida is well known for its crafts, notably brass and copper goblets, glass beads and bangles, raffia hats and mats, and locally dyed cotton and silk cloth. The craftsmen work by hand on their own premises in distinctive wards and are organized into close-knit guilds. Bida is also known for its Durbar festival and the Nupe Day Festival. It is also the home to the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Federal Medical Centre and Niger State School of Nursing.

Bida LGA EiE Nigeria Project Implementation:

Bida is one of the pioneering LGA’s in Niger State and  Nigeria as a whole where the MyLGA project was implemented. The project was sponsored by Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE Nigeria) and anchored by the Initiative for Social Development in Africa (iSODAF). This project aims at providing community members with the tools needed to hold their representatives accountable. In the implementation of the project, several activities from Baseline assessment, Focus Group Discussions/Stakeholders engagements as well as Community engagements were held in the Bida LGA. On the commencement of the project, the LGA Chairman in person of Hon (Dr.) Suleiman B Sheshi was given a letter of consent and approval through which other executives as well as the Ward councilors were also contacted.

Through the activities highlighted above, the project provided a forum where community heads and stakeholders  could meet. These activities were held in  Mayaki Ndajiya and Bariki wards of Bida LGA, precisely in Efu Mayaki Community and Kangi Community in Mayaki Ndajiya Ward and Kangi Makun in Bariki ward of Bida LGA. The town hall meetings yielded positive outcomes for the EiE Nigeria project; several issues were raised such as the factors that hinder citizens from holding elected representatives accountable, as well as potential resolutions for this challenge.

Issues Highlighted

• Lack of need-assessments by local government officials before undertaking community projects.
• Lack of interaction with community members before budget preparations.
• Lack of proper education amongst representatives
• Lack of transparency from representatives
• High susceptibility of citizens to vote-buying
• Poor selection of of party flag bearers by delegates
• Poor communication processes between community members and  representatives

Resolutions

• Regular meetings amongst community members
• Selection of new, more competent community representatives to liaise with local government officials
• Improved communication strategies between community representatives and the ward counsellor and local government chairman, in  order to hold them accountable for community infrastructure and projects
• The use of town hall meetings/community meetings to dissuade community members from selling their votes

Information on BIDA LGA Executives

LIST OF BIDA LGA EXECUTIVE MEMBERS & THEIR CONTACT NUMBERS

Written By: SHEHU AHMED BABA
Edited by: EiE Media Team

28^th January 2022 | Community Town Hall Meeting

Special Guests:  

• Secretary to Mayakin Nupe, Mall Ladan Mohammed
• Chief Imam; Mayaki Ndajiya, Mall Abdullahi Mohammed
• Former State Youth Leader; Youth Stakeholder, Dauda Usman
• Community Vigilante, Alh Ladan Saidu

Summary of the Meeting

The town hall meeting was aimed at educating the citizens on the constitutional roles of local government officials (political office holders). The meeting convened community members in Mayaki Ndajiya Community in Bida Local Government Area of Niger State and in the long run, it provided a platform for people to ask questions on matters that not only affect them but also affects their community. Above all, it strengthened the capacity of citizens to advance government accountability at the local government level. 

This was followed by a welcome remark by the Community Leader – Mayakin Nupe of Efu Mayaki Ndajiya Community in Bida Local Government Area of Niger State, who was ably represented by his Secretary, Mall Ladan Mohammed. Mall Ladan Mohammed in his opening remark appreciated all the community members for turning out to be part of this engagement in spite of the short notice. He further extended his appreciation to Mall Dauda Usman – one of the stakeholders in the Meeting for his tremendous contribution to the community. He relayed that Mallam Dauda Usman has been steadfast in the community by regularly bringing meaningful and developmental initiatives to the community. He then capped up his salutation by appreciating the supporters of the project and expressing optimism that this engagement will be fruitful. The Secretary after conveying the message of the Mayakin Nupe urged participants to think of how they can contribute to the betterment of the LGA and the State rather than relying solely on what the state can do for them. He emphasised the importance of trust, honesty, and modesty in governance, enjoining citizens to elect leaders who are known to be fair and just.

On the purpose of the meeting, the CJ covering Bida LGA – Mall Shehu Ahmed Baba relayed the objective of the programme to the participants and the essence of the meeting. In his submission, he stated that the project titled #MyLGA, led by Enough Is Enough Nigeria (EiENigeria) and co-ordinated by the Initiative for Social Development in Africa (iSODAF) is aimed at bringing governance closer to the community/citizens, promoting transparency, accountability, and responsiveness in local government administration. He also shared that the idea for this intervention came when it was discovered that the majority of citizens were unaware of the names of their representatives, what is expected of the local administrators and above all, the challenge citizens encounter in having access to local executives. 

The keynote address was given by the Former State Youth Leader who is currently a principal stakeholder in Niger State Youth Council and an advocate and vanguard for Youth – Mall Dauda Usman. In his keynote address, he stated that the empowerment programme directly impacted more than 300 youths including women’s reproductive health in Bida Emirate Council of Niger State. He further added that this led to his conviction that the current project will of course be of tremendous support to not just the Community and the LGA but the State and the nation at large. He urged participants to be attentive and contribute meaningfully to the deliberation. He concluded his keynote address by reiterating that the programme is specifically on elected representatives  at the LGA level – the Counsellors and Chairman of the LGA

Critical Issues Raised During the Meeting

• Local Government officials do not conduct need assessment before undertaking any project in the community nor do they consult the citizens before preparing the budget.
• Majority of the LGA Executives, specifically Counsellors are not well educated and this affects their performance
• LGA officials do not play open door policy with the citizens that elect them to power.
• Electorates (Citizens) desire for money during the electioneering process grossly affects the selection of credible candidates.
• Selection of party flag bearers by delegates often leads to fielding unpopular and incompetent candidates across all parties.
• The Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and the schools in the ward are in a very bad state. Aboveall, there are no meaningful projects in the community.

Resolution

• The citizens of Mayaki Ndajiya agreed to revitalise their community engagement meetings by holding them regularly.
• The community will to set up fresh committees to represent the community and interphase with LGA officials for the community
• The Committee will write a letter to the Ward Counsellor and the Local Government Chairman informing him of the dilapidated structures in the community
• The  community will have meeting at intervals with the Ward Counsellor
• The community members delegated Mall Dauda to help collect phone numbers of the ward counsellor and the LGA Chairman.

Lessons for Future Engagements

• The need for adequate time for question and answer sessions will be considered in future meetings
• Forums for interphase between citizens with local government executives will be considered in future community engagement.
• There will be an arrangement for a conducive venue for subsequent engagement meetings.

Below are pictorial representations of the participants.