NGO, Nasarawa State University sign MoU on capacity building for CSOs
MoU
By Folasade Akpan
The Palladium Group, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) to build capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria.
The MoU which was signed on Tuesday in Abuja, seeks to enhance local CSOs’ ability to be positive and responsible change agents in Nigeria through Palladium’s Strengthening Civic Advocacy for Local Engagement (SCALE) project.
Mrs Lydia Odeh, the Chief of Party of SCALE, said that the project was a five-year United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded.
The project which began in October 2020 to end in October 2025 would be implemented by Palladium in collaboration with Nigeria Resource Partners (RPS).
“The goal of the project is to improve public accountability, transparency and sustainable service delivery in Nigeria.
“This is by strengthening the managerial, financial and advocacy capacity of civil society to engage citizens to influence the government of Nigeria in key development reforms at national, state and local levels.
“The SCALE project support CSOs including Business Membership Organisations (BMOs) with a basket of managerial, financial and advocacy capacity strengthening interventions aimed at advancing their sustainability and effectiveness.
“We also provide CSOs with targeted grants to advance key policy reform priorities”, she added.
According to Odeh, a curriculum on Organisation Development (OD) has been developed for the programme.
She added that as part of the organisation’s strategy to sustain the training programme beyond the SCALE project, it initiated conversations with the Institute of Governance and Development Studies.
She said that the institute would hold at the Post-Graduate school of NSUK to explore likely potentials that exist.
“Through these discussions, the university has decided to commence a Post Graduate Degree training in Ordinary Diploma to help support the availability of resource experts in system strengthening in Nigeria.
“The MoU with Palladium and NSUK formalises the partnership by Palladium and the University to work together to foster and develop a cooperative relationship toward the takeoff of the programme by the university.”
Odeh said that the specific objectives of the MoU are to host the Ordinary Diploma course/programmes as initiated by the SCALE project at Diploma and/or Postgraduate levels at NSUK.
It will also certify the six-month Ordimary Diploma Market place certificate programme of the SCALE Project
Ms Oiza Nicholson, the Country Director of Palladium, said the organisation was open to more collaborations with institutions to help drive the agenda of empowering CSOs with the right skills to make the desired impact in Nigeria.
“We will love to see collaborations with other institutions because the scale project works nationally”, she added.
The Vice Chancellor of NSUK, Prof. Suleiman Mohammed, said that the training would developed the capacity of the targeted group.
Mohammed, represented by Prof. Saadatu Liman, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, said that the two programmes envisaged for the realisation of SCALE are ordinary diploma.
He said the ordinary diploma was a planned, systematic change in the values or operations of employees to create overall growth in a company or organisation administratively, financially and otherwise.
“Also, advocacy which helps people and organisations to become more involved in important decisions about their life and development and it can be a lifeline for many.
”Bearing this in mind, there is no doubt that this training will develop the capacity of the target group.
“This will in turn create a more accountable, transparent, peaceful and democratic Nigeria with more effective and efficient public service.
“Your choice of the Institute of Governance and Development Studies to host the programme is commendable,” he said.
According to Mohammed, this is because it offers a platform for multidisciplinary scholarship in leadership and corporate governance.
“I will like to thank USAID and Palladium for giving us this opportunity to play our role towards improving the organisational performance of civil societies, private and public sectors through the training of their staff at various levels of postgraduate programmes.
“I assure you utmost dedication to the cause of this collaboration. We have the expertise and we will work hard to groom Nigerians as they embrace this new development.” (NAN)