Maroc - DCONNECTNEWS.COM.NG - A La Une - 25/Aug 17:22

NGIJ Commences 2025 Governance Assessment Tour in Kaduna State

The Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists (NGIJ) has officially commenced its 2025 Governance Assessment Report (GAR) Tour in Kaduna State, beginning Sunday, 24th August 2025 being the arrival day, as part of its nationwide initiative to promote transparency, accountability, and democratic governance.In a statement issued by the NGIJ President, Malam Abdulrahman Aliagan, the tour is a core component of the Guild’s flagship Governance Assessment Report (GAR) Project, which is designed to independently evaluate government policies, infrastructural projects, social programs, and overall performance indicators.Aliagan explained that 12 members of the Guild, comprising investigative journalists and researchers from across Nigeria, will be in Kaduna for one-week comprehensive exercise. According to him, this governance assessment aligns with NGIJ’s mandate of deepening democratic culture, promoting transparency, and strengthening accountability.The NGIJ delegation, made up of ten senior investigative journalists and field researchers alongside the Guild’s members in Kaduna, will engage in a five-day intensive assessment covering all 23 Local Government Areas of the state. The exercise will involve field investigations across key sectors such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, security, agriculture, human capital development, women and youth empowerment, and job creation. Members of the delegation will administer structured questionnaires and conduct interviews with stakeholders to gather firsthand information on governance performance.The Guild will also engage with critical stakeholders, including security agencies, political office holders, traditional rulers, labour leaders, civil society groups, representatives of political parties, and grassroots citizens, to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive assessment of Governor Uba Sani administration. Furthermore, the team will document flagship projects and publish daily field reports across national media platforms. At the conclusion of the tour, the Guild will hold a press conference and present a comprehensive Governance Assessment Handbook, summarizing its findings, impacts, and policy recommendations.Aliagan emphasized that the Kaduna tour builds on the Guild’s successful assessments previously conducted in Kogi, Kwara, Bayelsa, Ondo, and Osun States, where NGIJ worked closely with state governments and stakeholders to ensure objectivity and credibility. He further urged stakeholders, traditional institutions, civil society organizations, and citizens to cooperate fully with Guild members during the assessment to ensure a smooth and transparent process.“We are not here to witch-hunt or politicize governance,” Aliagan stated. “Our goal is to provide an independent, fact-based, and grassroots-oriented evaluation that amplifies the voices of Kaduna residents while highlighting government achievements and challenges.”The five-day exercise is expected to produce an in-depth Governance Assessment Handbook, which will serve as a reference document for policymakers, development partners, and the general public.