The Kwara State Governor, Malam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has charged the newly appointed development officers to drive all~inclusive and participatory governance at the grassroots.
Declaring open a one~day workshop for the development officers, the Governor, who was represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Abdullahi Abubakar Batta, said the development officers should bring to bear their knowledge of communities by working closely with various development organs in their areas.
According to him, “your task as the development officers is to relate with people in your community by promoting good governance in your areas. You are to facilitate beneficial relationships with various development structures at the grassroots”.
He therefore, urged them to see their appointment as a call to serve and assist the government in achieving its development efforts across the state.
The workshop, organised by the office of Senior Special Assistant on Community Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, in collaboration with development professionals from the Kwara State University, Malete and University of Ilorin, Ilorin, was aimed at training the participants on community development guidelines and their duties as development facilitators.
Highlights of the workshop included training and interactive sessions, ranging from community dynamics, community relations, stakeholders engagement, community needs assessment documentation strategies, to harvesting and escalating community feedback to appropriate authorities.