Residents of the Mpape community in Bwari Area Council of Abuja have told MAWA Foundation that they need empowered voices to hold their government accountable for service delivery and to fight corruption.
The resident in a capacity training conducted by MAWA Foundation to raise community champions said they are not able to hold their leaders accountable because they do not have the required knowledge to confront government authorities on issues especially corruption and service delivery.
Mr. Joshua Olotogba, the Ajegule community Chairman, told MAWA that they need empowered voices to confront their leaders, pointing out that the leaders are too intelligent and knowledgeable while only people with their kind of knowledge can challenge them.
“This is not the age of noise-making alone, we need community training that will strengthen and amplify voices with superior knowledge and argument, and in that way, we will hold our leaders accountable”, Olotogba told MAWA Foundation.
Olotogba, however, argued that lack of citizens’ capacity to confront their leaders and demand accountability is the fundamental reason corruption and impunity have continued in Nigeria, adding that NGOs and other organizations must focus on community capacity building to train champions with amplified voices that can stand up for their people and demand accountability from the duty bearers.
The training was attended by over 30 participants who are community champions selected across youth, traditional/religious leaders, women leaders, and local government officials.
