A non-governmental organization, Yiaga Africa, stressed the importance of upholding democratic principles at the local government level to foster progress and advancement in communities spread across the 774 local governments in the nation. This assertion was made following a workshop on the People’s Assembly tool for deliberative democracy in Lagos.
During the workshop, the organization’s Programme Officer, Olaniyan Sanusi, highlighted the necessity of providing a platform for community members to voice their concerns, deliberate on local issues, and reach a consensus on priority matters to engage with local government authorities.
The focus of the workshop was to assess the effectiveness of the People’s Assembly as a tool for deliberative democracy. Initially introduced in three local governments in 2022, the initiative has since expanded to six local governments, aiming to enhance citizen participation in local governance.
The organization aims to hold regular discussions on community matters within specific local governments to formulate resolutions and determine a way forward. The goal is to monitor local government actions based on agreed-upon resolutions.
Furthermore, the workshop was viewed as a crucial step in bridging communication gaps within local governance, as emphasized by the Vice Chairman of Kosofe local government, Oluwole Sosanya. The interactive platform provided an opportunity for direct dialogue between community members and elected officials, enabling a better understanding of citizens’ needs for effective governance. Sosanya emphasized the accessibility of local governments as the closest level of governance to the people.