Staff retreat and GESI training

CTA STAFF RETREAT AND GESI TRAINING

The project: Promoting Cultural Values and Rights of Original Inhabitants (OIs) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through Drama and Art Forms

For decades, the original inhabitants (OIs) of the FCT have faced several forms of infringement of their fundamental rights. This has manifested in the form of institutionalized discrimination, disenfranchisement, and outright marginalization within the Nigerian polity.” (CHRICED) 2021.

“The Original inhabitants (OI) of the Federal Capital Territory were made stateless following the creation of Abuja as the capital of Nigeria. The implications are that the people lost their livelihood, identity, environment, and voice among others. Due to the influx of people from not only different parts of the country but from all parts of the globe different norms are values were introduced and seems to subsume the values, cultures, and ways of life of the indigenous people of Abuja, and also the move of the seat of power to Abuja, has created a huge demand for construction of building for offices, homes and other commercial purpose, Historical, cultural and art heritage sites are blasted due to extractive mining activities by construction companies or fortune seekers and for urban development. Such activities have not only impacted negatively on the environment but has diminished the cultural values of the people.

Are the Original Inhabitants of Abuja enjoying the benefits of their culture?

Is the culture going extinct?

What is the impact of extractives mining on the cultural heritage of the OIs in the FCT?

The three key objectives of the project are;

1: Improved awareness and voice of FCT Original Inhabitants about their rights, responsibilities, and options through a Community Theatre Group that this project will establish.

2: Improved level of responsiveness of government institutions and actors to address the injustices arising from extractive mining through advocacy for mining contract transparency.

Improved basic service delivery and accountability for the benefit of Original Inhabitant peoples of the FCT through a Community Information Centre that will be established.

The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) will be addressing these issues raised through the implementation of the project: Promoting Cultural Values and Rights of Original Inhabitants (OIs) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through Drama and Art Forms supported by CHRICED and MacArthur Foundation. The project will last for two years and implemented in four communities: Kubwa, Ushafa, Bwari and Mpape in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.

PURPOSE OF THE MEETING

To review and draft a 5-year Strategic Plan for the Centre for Transparency Advocacy.
To train staff on GESI as well as mainstream GESI in all programmes
Give progress report to the Board and interface with board members

The Executive Director, Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) Madam Faith Nwadishi, warmly welcomed all to the retreat as she gave a brief explanation on how the Centre for Transparency Advocacy started. CTA was formerly known as Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group (ISDMG) but during the CAC registration, the name ISDMG was refused because they felt that civil society organizations are not supposed to monitor Government services but are meant to observe and put out reports but not officially as monitors. It was from the idea of ISDMG that gave life to the creation of SERVICOM by the Federal government. It is important to note that what ISDMG was doing is what SERVICOM is presently doing even though it is a government agency. Although CAC refused the name ISDMG, it however registered CTA. One of the core areas of CTA is service delivery monitoring. She explained that CTA do send out FOI yearly to MDAs to send their reports of the previous year and if those who submitted are graded based on the report sent and the quality of report. Hopefully CTA would start these processes again.

She expressed her gratitude to the Chairman board of Trustees of CTA, members of staff of CTA, Resource persons and other stakeholders present. She expressed her gratitude to the MacArthur Foundation that supported CTA to start the SAY NO CAMPAIGN and for supporting this staff retreat. Members of the Original Inhabitants of the FCT were duly represented, media partners and other stakeholders were equally present. She expressed the need for the staff retreat and the essence of a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion component in the Strategic plan of the organisation