Ministry Engages Stakeholders, Citizens For Grassroots Development

The Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs has convened its second Quarter Stakeholder and Citizen Engagement Forum to deepen inclusive governance and accelerate national development through collaboration.

The engagement forum, which took place at the Minister’s Conference Room in Abuja and was themed “Strengthening Partnerships for National Development through Special Duties and Intergovernmental Collaboration,” attracted stakeholders from across governmental tiers, civil society, and citizens nationwide.

In his keynote address, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Bitrus Jisalo, described the forum as a vital platform to engage meaningfully with stakeholders and ensure participatory governance.

The minister, who reaffirmed the Ministry’s pivotal role in linking policy, people, and projects to achieve significant strides in intergovernmental coordination and project implementation, also shared the Ministry’s recent achievements, including the verification of 89 zonal intervention projects in the first quarter and oversight of 22 ongoing projects in the second quarter of 2025.

While underscoring the Ministry’s firm commitment to transparency and impact-driven governance, he further noted milestones such as the rollout of the Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to digitise internal processes, the Ministry’s active involvement in the Nigeria Local Government Development Summit, and international collaborations like the Nigeria-China Capacity Building Initiative.

He urged all stakeholders to maintain their dedication as active partners in building a responsive and inclusive Nigeria.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Onwusoro Maduka Ihemelandu, applauded the consistency of the engagement forum as a mechanism for transparency and citizen inclusivity.

He emphasised the Ministry’s unwavering focus on accountability in constituency projects, ongoing efforts toward digital innovation and modernisation, and promoting local government autonomy.