Abuja: Yiaga Africa, an NGO, has reiterated the need for Nigerians to constructively engage their National Assembly representatives. The organisation sensitised Ikot Ekpene constituents of Akwa Ibom on proper ways to engage their representatives constructively to ensure that dividends of democracy got to the people.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mr Olaniyan Sanusi, Programme Officer at Yiaga Africa, stated that the people’s assembly is aimed at promoting public deliberations on the activities of representatives in the national assembly and their impacts on constituents. The assembly was organised by Yiaga Africa in collaboration with the European Union for the people of Essien Udim, Ikot Ekpene, and Obot Akara within the Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency.
Sanusi emphasized that the people’s assembly serves as a model for citizen engagement in governance, fostering transparency and accountability. It empowers citizens to demand better governance, ensuring that lawmakers prioritize the needs of their constituents. He urged the people of Akwa Ibom to promote social accountability and responsive governance actively.
The programme officer explained that Yiaga Africa calls for active and sustained participation in the governance process. The meeting aims to articulate the needs of constituents and present them to legislators for action. Sanusi added that the people’s assembly encourages information sharing and boosts confidence in democracy, allowing citizens to speak with one voice on community needs.
Sanusi highlighted the importance of public deliberation at the constituency level, where citizens can contribute to decisions affecting their lives. He noted that when citizens influence policies and the actions of elected officials, those actions would reflect their needs.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a participant and resident of Ikot Ekpene, Miss Joy Umo, expressed that the engagement had provided them the opportunity to learn how to articulate their demands and communicate them to their representatives. She noted the potential improvement in their lives, especially for persons with disabilities.
Another participant, Mr Samson Umoh from Obot Akara Local Government Area, remarked that the people’s assembly has facilitated interactions with individuals from other local government areas about their representatives’ activities. Umoh expressed gratitude to Yiaga Africa and the European Union for enabling them to deliberate on engaging their legislators on community issues.