The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), an NGO, has trained 60 women and youths on Community Development Plan (CDP) to integrate climate change into advocacy to achieve sustainable development.
Mr. Ango Adamu, Executive Secretary, YMCA Mada Hills, said the three-day training in Akwanga Local Government was aimed at equipping communities with skills to lobby and advocate for community development.
Adamu said that the training was part of the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) Project, being implemented by YMCA and the Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN) in Nasarawa State, with support from Oxfam in Nigeria.
He described CDP as a veritable tool that communities could use to attract government attention to developmental issues in relation to climate change impacts at community and local government levels.
“Community Development Plan is all about collective efforts of communities, identifying issues in terms of need assessment, prioritising, and pursuing development.
“So, we are training 60 participants from five LGAs – Obi, Doma, Keana, Keffi and Wamba, on Community Development Plan in relation to climate change so that they can include climate change issues into community’s advocacy.
“There are a lot of climate change issues in the communities, now that local government autonomy is in place, they can talk to their representatives in positions of power to influence policies that can have positive impacts on communities,” he said.
Prof. Emmanuel Salau, lecturer at the Nasarawa State University and the lead facilitator, said CDP is critical tool through which communities take part in decision-making on issues around service delivery.
Salau emphasised inclusivity and fair representation, especially accommodating diverse interests and groups – women, youth and people with disabilities when developing a community development plan.
“So, we are training these communities to be able to mobilise themselves as community development association to assess their needs and come up with their priority needs to present either to government or donor agencies.
“We are also emphasising areas of climate change mitigation intervention because rural communities are badly hit by the impacts of climate change like flooding, drought, soil infertility, low crop yield, among others,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Dr Kenneth Akpan, AACJ Project Coordinator for Oxfam in Nigeria, urged the participants to take the training seriously to be able to develop CDP to hold duty bearers accountable.
“CDP is about building your capacity as community members, it is when you know these things and itemise them that you can now engage politicians and policy makers effectively.
“Climate change is real and you need to identify challenges in your locality and put them properly,” he said.
Also speaking, Rev. Dr James Agot, President, YMCA Mada Hills thanked Oxfam and ACCJ project for supporting the training and urged the participants to put into practice the knowledge they have acquired.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Mr. Cletus Inji thanked the organisers and described the training as apt and an eye opener, given the numerous development challenges presently facing communities.
“We know what value we are taking home; we are beginning to imagine the faces of our people when we step down this training, it is so relevant,” he said.
By Oboh Linus
