*********ENVIRUMEDIC Launches New Participatory Governance Model, “IFAS” in Delta State in a 2 Days Meeting.
*******ENVIRUMEDIC-ActionAid Nigeria Says, Forum Aimed at Creating Opportunities, Meet SDGs/Agenda 2030, Increase Partnership Between Government & Communities, CSOs.
*******Critical Stakeholders; CSOs, Community facilitators, Media, SSA to the Governor on Civic engagement and civil society, PWD, Ministry of Economic Planning, Women Affairs, Agriculture, and Environment, Bank of Agriculture, SMRDAN, FGN, DTSG, Others Commends ENVIRUMEDIC-ActionAid Nigeria on IFAS Launch.
By Victor Bieni, Asaba
As part of efforts towards ensuring Government effectiveness, accountability, and transparency at local and state levels, the Environmental Rural Mediation Centre (ENVIRUMEDIC), a nongovernmental organization with support from ActionAid Nigeria, has launched a new initiative called: “Inclusive Forum for Accountable Society (IFAS), which the CSO group said it will help create opportunities for sharing and learning good practices in participatory governance.
For effectiveness, the first day and the early part of day two were used to train participants on IFAS, while the later part of day two was used to elect the IFAS Executive, inaugurate and finally launch IFAS in Delta State.
ENVIRUMEDIC led by its CEO, Monday Oghenerouna Itoghor made this remark during a two-day workshop held July 23rd -24th, 2024 at Orchid Hotel, Asaba, Delta State capital as Stakeholders harped on participatory governance.
At the IFAS two-day workshop, participants and stakeholders were enjoined to leverage on the opportunities of integrating IFAS in all governance processes.
Highlights of Event:
Presentation of AAN work in Delta State,
Background of AAN and IFAS Linking SDG to IFAS,
TAX and Gender Responsive Public Services, IFAS process/Strategies,
Interactive Session,
Community presentation, feedback to MDAs and
Election of executives and other Terms of reference.
Hajara Adamu delivering her lectures at the workshop, stated that ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) is a human rights-based organization that works with poor and excluded communities, promoting their rights and empowering people living in poverty to take necessary action to end poverty. Established in 1999, AAN is an affiliate of the ActionAid Federation focusing on social justice, gender equality, and poverty eradication using the Human Rights Based Approach. This is focused on protecting and fulfilling the human rights of people living in poverty as the best way to eradicate poverty and injustice.
The day one event started on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, with a presentation by ENVIRUMEDIC’S Senior Program Officer, Mr Luck Enegide. Outlining the Local Rights Programme (LRP) supported by AAN intervention in the state, showcasing the successes and challenges
Delivering her lecture on the theme: “Introduction To ActionAid Local Rights Program in Delta State” at the event, ActionAid Nigeria Partnership & Local Rights Program Advisor, Hajara Opaluwa Adamu stated that, ActionAid has its headquarters in South Africa, branches in over 44 countries using the LRP Initiative to fight for social justice to eradicate poverty.
While commending the achievements of ENVIRUMEDIC in the state, she noted that the birth of IFAS in Delta will be a greater advantage in the Advocacy concerns. Using IFAS reporting lines to challenge the norms and practices that undermine social justice in Delta, Nigeria, and the rest of the world. Also, ActionAid Nigeria has intervened in Gigawa State and the other 21 States in Nigeria to boost rural development.
She stressed further that critical Stakeholders should fight towards achieving free, fair, and equitable tax justice for gender-responsive public service as she explained in detail the cannons of taxation.
In a presentation made by the Social Mobilization Manager, Seun Akioye, he hinged IFAS background to ActionAid Nigeria’s new Initiative which is interrelated to 17 SDGs’ global goals compressed and linked into SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5 & 8.
He urged state actors to step up pro-poor policies, budgeting, and activities to promote agroecology through increased budgeting to sectors such as Education, health, Agric, water resources, Humanitarian, etc for the actualization of the agenda 2030 and set free over 133M Nigerians from hunger, multi-dimensional poverty to improve nutrition, pro-poor Government spending, accountability, and participatory governance.
During the interactive sessions, and presentations at the two-day workshop, critical stakeholders; MDAs, SMEDAN, Bank of Agriculture, CSOs, Media and others shared services rendered to the development of communities in their interventions programmes, impacts, and achievement. The LRP Community Facilitators gave remarks and acknowledged some of their benefits from the MDAs, capacity building, Agricultural inputs and services, infrastructural support, etc.
The MDAs restated their commitment to working with ActionAid Nigeria-ENVIRUNEDIC to promote rural development in Delta State. Community facilitators during the interactive sessions commended the Delta State Ministry of Economic Planning for keeping to their mandate and on support to citizens
Election: Day 2 of the workshop, Wednesday, July 24, 2025, saw a keenly contested election for different Executive positions in Delta IFAS.
The following positions were contested and won and inaugurated as follows; CSO Co-Chair Mr. Nohwo Fred- CEO, African Centre For Environmental & Rural Development, MDA Co-chair Mr. Okpako U. Daniel, Deputy Director, Delta State Ministry of Economic Planning, CSO Deputy Co-Chair Mrs. Joy Tobele-CEO Initiative for Peace and Stability (IPAS) , Secretary/LRP focal Organization-Chief Monday Oghenerouna Itoghor- CEO, Environmental Rural Mediation Centre (ENVIRUMEDIC), Financial Secretary- Mrs Umeh Georgina, Manager, Bank of Agriculture, Asaba, PRO-Comrade Emeka Nwaokocha, Publisher of The Brief Media.
The newly emerged Chairperson of IFAS, Mr Fred after the inauguration gave a vote of thanks on behalf of the executives to the critical Stakeholders for the confidence repose on them to pilot the affairs of the IFAS forum in Delta State.