From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
A Non-governmental Organisation, Initiative for Grass-root Advancement (INGRA), is to embark on advocacy engagement of citizens with the elected members of the Kogi State House of Assembly on legislative business.
The Executive Director of INGRA, Hamza Aliyu Ibrahim gave the hint during the Inaugural meeting towards the commencement of the project on Thursday.
Ibrahim said that the proposed project is aimed at ensuring that citizens become part of the legislative functions as well as making them know the happenings in the house for them to make their inputs.
“Elected members of the state assembly owe it as an obligation to be accountable to the people they represent by keeping them abreast of the legislative business, carrying them along on activities of the house to enable them make their contributions
“The idea of the project is also geared towards constituting semi formal advocacy group to improve upon citizens engagement with their lawmakers, comprising of Civil Society Organisations, Elected members of State House of Assembly and the Media” Ibrahim explained.
He therefore, advocated for the public hearing of budgetary allocation where citizens should be made to take part.
He also challenged lawmakers to make budget defence open to enable citizens participate in budgetary process.
Ibrahim who expressed worry over non-existence of internet facility at the Kogi House of Assembly up till now, called for immediate establishment of a functional website for the storage of needed information on legislative matters.
