By Thompson Yamput
The Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) says it is planning to mainstream community engagement and accountability into all aspects of its activities in the country.
The Director, National Communication and Advocacy of the society, Mr Victor Achegbulu, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lokoja.
Achegbulu spoke while declaring open a three-day workshop on Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) for some staff and volunteers of the NRCS.
He said mainstreaming community engagement and accountability into the operation of the humanitarian organisation would bring about a better understanding of the activities of the Red Cross by the people.
It will engender deeper community participation and lead to improvement in the community services of the society.
The workshop is being sponsored by the British Red Cross.
Also, Mr Adeyemo Adebayo, the Director of Programmes of the NRCS, said the whole idea of CEA was to get communities to buy into the activities of the Red Cross for better programme planning and effective implementation.
Getting communities to buy into the activities of the Red Cross will promote the activities of the society and lead to better service delivery.
Adebayo said the Red Cross had provided free toll telephone lines to get regular feedback on its activities from community leaders.
According to him, the CEA when fully operationalised into the activities of the NRCS, will benefit the donors, beneficiaries and the Red Cross itself.
Mr Benson Agbro, Director, Disaster Management of the NRCS, told newsmen that the CEA would go a long way to reduce areas of friction and misunderstanding usually encountered during operations in communities.
He said it was also a way to appraise and have better understanding of peculiarities of disasters faced by different communities.
Agbro said the workshop was mainly to enhance the capacity of NRCS staff and volunteers charged with rescue operations.
Amoma Mofe Terah, Focal Point, Community Engagement and Accountability, NRCS, said the workshop was a capacity building one for field workers of the organisation.
She said that participants at the workshop were expected to develop a policy document that could always be refered to by staff of the society.
According to her, 146 participants from the NRCS branches in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory are participating in the workshop physically and online.
She said top officials of the NRCS from its Abuja national headquarters were also attending the workshop.
Apart from staff and volunteers of the last NRCS, he said participants were also invited from stakeholders, including security agencies, fire services, emergency services providers among others. NAN
