From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Jigawa Mutual Accountability Forum’s advisory committee recently convened to review and update the status of “Asks and Offers” between the Jigawa State government and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Drafted at the end of last year 2023, the requests and commitments were formally endorsed by both parties, signifying a mutual agreement to undertake action, particularly in critical sectors such as health, education, social protection, and agriculture, among others.
The advisory committee meeting, held on Monday at the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning’s J-cares Secretariat in Dutse, saw the active participation of relevant Civil Society Organizations, representatives from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as other stakeholders.
In discussions with our reporter, representatives of civil society organizations highlighted the importance of the review meeting in facilitating the smooth tracking of JiMAF commitments’ implementation.
During the meeting, the committee acknowledged the state government’s achievements in fulfilling some of the requests, particularly in areas related to social protection and health. However, it also urged improvements in other sectors to ensure comprehensive development.
Following deliberations, participants agreed on several actions, including disseminating information extracted from the review meeting to citizens across relevant sectors, sharing reports with donors, MDAs, and stakeholders, and implementing strategies to advance the objectives of the Jigawa Mutual Accountability Forum.