By Mustapha Salisu
The Dispute Resolution and Development Initiative (DRDI) has emphasized the critical role of media and citizens in advancing transparency, accountability, and participatory governance at the grassroots level.
This follows the successful conclusion of its One-Day Media Roundtable and Social Media Advocacy Launch held at Mambayya House in Kano on 10 February 2026.
The event, facilitated by development consultant Mansur Umar Kurugu, brought together women leaders, youth representatives, and community stakeholders to strengthen citizen engagement in district-level budget processes and enhance the use of media as a strategic tool for advocacy and accountability.
Speaking after the engagement, the Executive Director of DRDI, Dr. Muhammad Mustapha Yahaya, said the initiative aimed to empower participants with practical knowledge on media and social media advocacy to promote local government autonomy and people-centered governance.
According to him, the sessions deepened citizens’ understanding of advocacy as an intentional, evidence-based effort to influence budgetary and policy decisions at the local level.
“The discussions revealed strong awareness among participants that local government autonomy must go hand in hand with accountability. Citizens now better understand the link between local budgets, service delivery, and their responsibility to demand transparency” Dr. Yahaya noted.
The engagement focused on two key thematic sessions‘Overview of Social Media and Media Advocacy’ and ‘Harnessing Media and Social Media for Community-Driven Development.’ Participants gained skills in framing advocacy messages, using digital tools effectively, and coordinating unified campaigns through shared hashtags.
The Executive Director stated that participants developed a coordinated messaging framework to sustain digital advocacy beyond the event.
He explained that the approach would ensure more structured engagement with traditional and online media platforms to highlight community issues, monitor local government projects, and promote transparency in public spending.
Dr. Yahaya commended the participants’ enthusiasm and described the exercise as a foundation for sustained citizen-led media advocacy that aligns with DRDI’s vision of strengthening democratic governance at the grassroots.
He also called on local media outlets, journalists, and influencers to maintain consistent collaboration with civic actors in amplifying development-focused messages.
The Executive Director recommended periodic digital advocacy campaigns, continuous engagement with local radio and media outlets, and regular documentation of advocacy outcomes at the local government level.
It further encouraged capacity reinforcement on data-informed advocacy and budget tracking to sustain the momentum.
Dr. Yahaya, however, reaffirmed DRDI’s commitment to building platforms that connect citizens, media, and local authorities in driving transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance in Kano and beyond.