USAID State2State Trains Bauchi LG Personnel on Conflict Sensitivity in Financial Management

By Bashir Hassan Abubakar

Towards mitigating conflicts in public financial management (PMF) practice in  Local Government administration, a three (3) day intensive training of local government personnel has commenced in Bauchi State.

The capacity training activity was organized by USAID/Nigeria funded program tagged ‘State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness (State2State) Activity.

Declaring the training open on Wednesday 15th February, 2023 at Hazibal Hotel Conference Hall in Bauchi, the state commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Alhaji Abdulrazak Nuhu Zaki said the training was timely especially now that Bauchi State Government has commenced the implementation of the 2023 budget.

Represented by the acting permanent secretary of the ministry, Mohammed Sani Ibrahim, the commissioner urged beneficiaries of the training to pay rapt attention and participate actively with a view to adding value to budget implementation in their respective LGs.

The commissioner also tasked the participants to cascade what they will be taught to their colleagues that were not privileged to be part of the training which according to him “will further entrench good governance at the local government level”.

While emphasizing the importance of the training, Nuhu Zaki said that financial management is the backbone of governance and that conflict will always rare its head because all other departments of the LG depends on finances to carry out its function.

“Where you have different individuals counting on the finance department to implement its activities and programs, conflict is bound to manifest one way or the other. So, you can see that the training will teach us how avoid such conflicts as it affects governance”.

“I implore you to learn all you can, because by so doing, you can also train other LG personnel that are not privilege to be here”, the commissioner said

Earlier in her welcome remarks, USAID State2State Bauchi Field office Team Lead Rabi Ekele , represented by the Public Financial Management Specialist, Isaac Otabor said that USAID State2State was delighted to host the LG personnel for the training.

Ekele also informed that the objective of the training was to improve the knowledge, understanding, and skills of the participants on the principles of conflict sensitivity in public financial management and service delivery in the focus areas of health, basic education, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), gender and social inclusion issues etc.

She further said that the training will seek to enhance participants’ understanding and skills in the practical application of conflict and gender sensitivity to government programming, policy and practice.

Also, according to the STL, the training will strengthen participants’ knowledge and understanding in developing contextually fit action plans for conflict sensitivity in their respective LGAs.

“I am sure in your day to day running of your office programs and activities, sometimes conflicts happens within the various departments, but the ability to be able to address such conflicts amicably, without it affecting governance processes, is imperative”, said the STL.

She also task the participants to be active participants, share experiences and lessons learnt.

Our correspondent reports that participants for the training include: LGA Directors in budget and planning, primary health care, education secretaries, women development officers and WASH coordinators drawn from Alkaleri, Misau, Katagum and, Bauchi LGAs and three staff of the state ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs.