Programme

BASELINE SITUATION  

The situation that existed before our intervention in 2003 was:

• Unorganized and apolitical civil society groups at the grassroots which is due to a sense of insecurity amidst political intimidation
• Highly politicized Community Development Associations (CDAs), supposed to be people’s platform but under government’s influence
• Lack of purposeful and constructive curiosity from the electorate.
• Lack of transparency and downward accountability, and disregard for due process by political office holders.
• Lack of popular participation in governance due to politics of exclusion.
• Inaccessible public information [ such as budget, policies and report]
• Low level of incorporation of gender in policies and politics at the grassroots.
• JDPC Ibadan visibly championing the cause; unconsciously working for the people.

INTERVENTION POLICY  

Goal: 

1. To bring about the evolution of a virile and assertive social movement of organized civil groups that would take responsibility for the ownership, leadership and direction of their just cause through alliance building.
2. To promote true and inclusive governance process through system democratization.

Objectives 

1. Promote Popular Participation at the grassroots through groups’ formation and capacity development.
2. Bridge communication gap between political office holders and the electorate through interface platform.
3. Promote accountability and transparency at the local government level through civil pressure groups.
4. Strengthen and build the capacity of civil society groups.

Strategies 

• Capacity Building: In the areas of Civic Education, Needs Assessment and Budget Monitoring, Lobbying and Advocacy and Group Management.
• Lobbying and Advocacy: Constructive dialogue, letter of complaints [SOS letter], Meetings/Parley with concerned government officials.
• Constituency Cultivation (Town Hall Meetings): Accountability forum, Manifesto/Candidate Encounter Platform, Monitoring of Promises.
• Meeting: Groups’ monthly meetings.

The New Role of JDPC Ibadan is that of a less visible catalyst and is depicted diagrammatically below:

Specific Roles Of JDPC

1. 1. Pragmatic Local Intervention (PLI)

Aggressive underground facilitation and mobilization for consistent local assertiveness of the electorate. Thus, becoming less visible while the electorate become more visible as a coalition of community institutions at the centre of activities

1. 2. Strategic Global Intervention (SGI)

• Visibly engaging relevant stakeholders in thematic discourse that will pave way and create enabling environment for the PLI. E.g. the issues of Social Contract, Sovereignty, downward accountability etc.
• Lobbying and advocating for the strategic needs of PLI. E.g. policy change
• Networking and building alliances with allies (credible persons and institutions)
• Constant information research, system review and information sharing........