CHARS Africa, media practitioners partner to hold Abia govt accountable
By Darlington Chisom
A Civil Society Organization, African Centre for Human Advancement and Resource Support (CHARS-Africa); and media practitioners in Abia State, have resolved to work together to hold the state government accountable for the people.
Arising from a one-day media round table held in Umuahia by CHARS Africa, the CSO and media practitioners in the state vowed to leverage on extant legislative frameworks including the Public Procurement Act 2007, Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, and the Freedom of Information Act 2011 to hold state actors accountable.
The participants decried the fragrant abuse of the various legislative frameworks by state actors, and vowed to be on their toes to halt further abuses.
Addressing participants at the event, Programme Officer of CHARS Africa, Mr Peter Chuka Okoye, gave the title of the round table as :” Support to Civil Society Advocacy towards Strengthening Key legislative Frameworks for increased Accountability and Good Governance in Abia State”
He said it was organised to enlist the support of media practitioners in the promotion of accountability and good governance in the state.
Okoye said the programme was powered by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (ROLAC), with the support of European Union.
In her remark, the Executive Director of CHARS-AFRICA, Mrs Amaka Biachi, a lawyer, said the engagement was aimed at exploring ways the legislative frameworks could be harnessed to promote accountability and good governance in society.
The CHARS Africa boss decried lack of local content in the Public Procurement Act domesticated in the state since 2012.
She noted with concern the unwillingness of the state actors to comply with the provisions of the various legal frameworks put in place to promote accountability and good governance.
Mrs Biachi solicited the assistance of the media in helping to hold the state actors accountable for the people.
According to her, it is only through effective synergy between the media and the Civil Society Organizations, can state actors be held accountable in the interest of the governed.
Speaking also, Project Director, ROLAC, Mr Peter Omenka, commended the media and the CSOs in the state for their efforts in promoting good governance and accountability, promising to partner with the duo for greater results.
He re-stated the commitment of ROLAC to the promotion of accountability and good governance.
Meanwhile, participants at the event brainstormed on ways to overcome the challenges militating against the efforts to promote accountability and good governance.
Some of the identified challenges include job insecurity in the media industry, lack of equipment and operational tools, need for constant re-training of media workers, and the unwillingness of news sources to release information.
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