By Abbas Bamalli
Mercy Corps has strengthened the capacity of Katsina government officials to lead effective, inclusive and results-oriented action planning for peacebuilding and development.
Speaking at the training on Monday in Katsina, the Programme Manager, Mercy Corps, Mr Philip Ikita, said the intervention is being implemented under the Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR) Programme, funded by the European Union (EU).
According to him, the programme is being implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in partnership with Mercy Corps and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).
Ikita said effective action planning was essential for translating government priorities, community needs, conflict analysis and available resources into practical and accountable interventions.
He said government officials were central to the process because they coordinate service delivery, allocate public resources, provide technical oversight and link community priorities with local government and state development plans.
According to him, the training is designed to equip participants with structured and inclusive approaches to action planning that would enable them to respond effectively to local development, peacebuilding, natural resource management and service-delivery challenges.
He said the training would strengthen participants’ ability to assess local needs and conflict-sensitive development challenges, prioritise issues, set clear goals and develop realistic, results-oriented action plans.
Ikita said it would also improve the capacity of officials to integrate community priorities into LGA and state planning, budgeting and implementation processes through inclusive participation, accountability and responsive decision-making.
He added that the training would promote stronger coordination among government institutions and community structures by clarifying roles, responsibilities, timelines, resource requirements and joint follow-up mechanisms.
The programme manager said another key objective was to promote sustainable, government-led action by equipping participants to mobilise and leverage local resources, monitor implementation, manage risks and mentor other officials and community stakeholders.
Ikita said the CPCRR Programme built on the successes of the Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation (CMCR) project and was designed to promote long-term peace and stability in Northwest Nigeria.
He said the programme was being implemented across 48 communities in 10 LGAs in Zamfara and Katsina States, with focus on addressing the root causes of conflict, strengthening community resilience and supporting socio-economic recovery.
He said its overall objective was to reinforce peace and socio-economic stability in Northwest Nigeria through inclusive, locally led and sustainable approaches.
According to him, Mercy Corps, under the programme, leads activities aimed at strengthening community mechanisms for conflict prevention, supporting inclusive dialogue and enhancing resilience to climate-related shocks.
He said the organisation also supports the construction of Community Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) in targeted LGAs in Katsina State.
The targeted LGAs are Batsari, Danmusa, Jibia, Kankara, Dandume, Faskari, Sabuwa and Safana.
Ikita said Mercy Corps had been working in Nigeria since 2012, focusing on peacebuilding, governance, youth empowerment and climate resilience.
He urged the participating officials to apply the knowledge gained from the training in their respective institutions and communities to strengthen government-led responses to emerging challenges.
