From Umar Dankano, Yola.
Development partners, including the European Union, German Cooperation, Oxfam, CRUDAN, CODERHI and Yaharakari Foundation, have organised an award ceremony for beneficiaries of the Ward Development Support Committee (WDSC) Grant Competition in North-East Nigeria.
The event, held under the programme titled “Support to Improving Social Cohesion through Community Development Planning in Three Local Government Areas in North-East Nigeria,” covered Guyuk, Biu and Kwaya Kusar. It brought together community leaders, stakeholders and development actors to celebrate grassroots-driven initiatives aimed at promoting unity and sustainable development.
The initiative, co-funded by the European Union and German Cooperation, seeks to strengthen social cohesion by enabling communities to identify and implement their development priorities through inclusive and participatory planning processes.
Organisers at the event emphasised the importance of community ownership, noting that the WDSC platform empowers local populations to actively participate in decision-making and project execution.
The WDSC Grant Competition recognises and rewards innovative community development proposals, encouraging grassroots collaboration. Beneficiaries are expected to execute projects addressing critical needs such as access to basic services, conflict resolution and economic empowerment.
Meanwhile, Oxfam and its partners, with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit and funding from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, alongside co-funding from the European Union, have commenced a capacity-building workshop for local government officials.
Speaking during the workshop, Oxfam Project Coordinator, Samuel Lashom, said the programme is already yielding tangible social change, with communities increasingly taking ownership of development initiatives.
He noted that residents are initiating self-help projects such as water supply systems, school renovations, bridge construction and road rehabilitation.
A member of the WDSC, Charles Samsan, said communities are complementing grant support with locally generated funds to execute projects, including bridge construction.
Similarly, another WDSC representative, Zainab Ibrahim, stated that the grants would enable communities to complete ongoing projects despite limited resources.
The capacity-building workshop targets directors and heads of budget departments across local governments, equipping them with technical knowledge on the National Chart of Accounts (NCoA), a standardised budgeting framework approved by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for adoption across the country’s 774 local government councils.
Development partners reaffirmed their commitment to promoting long-term peacebuilding, resilience and inclusive governance, stressing that sustainable development can only be achieved through active community participation and strong local institutions.
The award ceremony marks another milestone in efforts to rebuild trust, strengthen grassroots governance and foster social harmony in conflict-affected communities across North-East Nigeria.
