JDPC Holds Town Hall Meeting, Tasks Lawmakers On Quality Representation

Legislators have been called upon to promote good governance through entrenching effective communications among their constituents.

Participants made the call in a Town Hall Meeting was organized by Justice Development and Peace Caritas, JDPC, at Professor Kenneth Dike e-library Awka.

The meeting which attracted members of JDPC and Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, JONAPWD was aimed at addressing issues between the law makers and the masses.

Speaking during the programme, a lead discussant, who spoke on the essence of open budget in the country, Mr. Chuka Okafor, said budget has remained the most important legal documents next to the constitution and the most powerful social and economic policy instrument which plays a vital role in the lives of every citizen.

He decried the situation whereby the masses are not involved in the budget making process not to talk of having access to it when passed.

Mr. Okafor appealed to the elected individuals to provide effective representation for the people by carrying them along in the budget process, even as he noted that thirteen states in Nigeria operates open and accessible budgeting.

In a speech, participants from JONAPWD, Mr. Uche Nnadi who spoke on Anambra State Disability Right Bill applauded law makers for passing the bill into law, noting that the bill is to harmonize and articulate welfare of people living with disability in the state to scale up their standard of living.

On the passage of Local Government Autonomy Bill, a discussant who is the Manager for Community Empowerment Network, Elder Eloka Okafor, who explained that no State House of Assembly in the country has pass the Bill said that if true federalism should be practiced in the country, there would be autonomy to the local government.
He further said that granting autonomy to the local government would be a total liberation of the people at the grassroot as it would grant them independence in carrying out community projects.

Contributing, a member of JDPC Nnewi Mrs. Nchedo Anadu, encouraged leaders of various communities in the state to submit their charter of demands for 2019 budgets.
Questions and answer formed the high point of the event.