By Ehis Agbon, Kaduna.
The Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism (KADLGAM) has called on Technical Working Groups (TWGs) across the 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State to intensify efforts aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in local governance.
The call was made at the end of a virtual meeting of the Local Government Technical Working Groups convened by the KADLGAM Secretariat on March 4, 2026.
Participants at the meeting included TWG leads, co-chairs, zonal representatives, and members from the various local government areas. The session reviewed the progress of ongoing governance reforms, assessed operational challenges, and discussed strategies to improve coordination and effectiveness following a restructuring exercise carried out last year.
According to the communiqué issued after the meeting, the restructuring was designed to improve coordination across Kaduna State’s three senatorial zones, strengthen communication among members, and enhance the functionality and representation of the Technical Working Groups in all 23 LGAs.
The meeting also noted that the restructuring report has now been incorporated into a harmonized action plan that will guide the activities and coordination framework of KADLGAM going forward.
Participants highlighted ongoing efforts to engage citizens on issues of governance and accountability at the local level but also identified several challenges affecting the effectiveness of the TWGs.
Among the issues raised were weak cooperation from some state actors in certain local government areas, the need for stronger coordination among stakeholders, and the importance of improving both vertical and horizontal communication within the mechanism.
Members also stressed the need for additional technical support to enhance the implementation of accountability initiatives across the LGAs.
Despite these challenges, the meeting identified opportunities to deepen community engagement, strengthen partnerships with local stakeholders, and improve the visibility of accountability initiatives within communities.
Discussions also highlighted the influence of Community Development Charters (CDC) in the 2026 Kaduna State approved budget, with participants calling for stronger advocacy and monitoring to ensure effective implementation of the budget provisions.
As part of the resolutions reached at the meeting, Technical Working Groups across the state were urged to intensify activities promoting key governance reforms, including the Open Government Partnership (OGP) principles, the Local Government Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (LFTAS) program, the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE-Gov) initiative, and climate action programs.
To further strengthen coordination and effectiveness, KADLGAM also announced plans to organize a capacity-building training session for TWG members across the 23 local government areas.
The training, scheduled for March 11, 2026, will focus on improving members’ understanding of their roles, enhancing coordination, and strengthening the overall performance of the accountability mechanism.
Zonal co-leads and TWG co-chairs have been tasked with mobilizing members within their respective local government areas to ensure full participation in the training.
At the end of the meeting, participants reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration and improving coordination across the LGAs to promote transparency, responsiveness, and participatory governance in Kaduna State.
The communiqué was issued by Sumayya Abdul Hussaini, Head of Community Engagement at the KADLGAM Secretariat.
