By Umar Dankano Yola.
The European Union in partnership with BMZ and OXFAM has trained seventeen (17) officials from Kwaya Kusar and Guyuk local government areas in Borno and Adamawa states.
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The six day capacity building training focused on basic Microsoft Excel skills and to improve budget presentation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation held in Yola and was organized under a project titled “Support to Improving Social Cohesion through Community Development Planning in Three Local Government Areas in North East Nigeria.”
Oxfam Country Director, Tijani Hamza at the opening session explained that the initiative was designed to help local government administrations transition from manual financial management processes to digital, data driven systems that promote transparency, accuracy and accountability in the management of public resources.
Represented by the Project Coordinator Samuel Lashom, Hamza encouraged participants to take the training seriously and apply their newly acquired skills to their work.
Hamza highlighted the importance of accurate financial records, transparency and accountability in strengthening public trust and improving the monitoring of Community Development Plans (CDPs) in the three participating local government areas
He said that adopting Excel and other ICT based tools would enable budget and planning officers to prepare evidence-based budgets, track implementation more effectively and improve the monitoring and evaluation of development projects.
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According to him, the training covered nine modules of the approved curriculum, equipping participants with practical skills ranging from basic Excel operations to budget dashboard development, data governance and citizen friendly financial reporting.
Participants of the training applauded the intervention confessing to having been introduced to advanced technology techniques of doing their professional jobs pledging to apply the skills learned assiduously.
Danladi Usman, Budget Officer of Biu Local Government Area in Borno State, said he would begin applying the knowledge and skills acquired during the training to budget preparation from 2027 expressing confidence that the practical application of the skills would produce remarkable results.
Hurera Modu, a participant from Kwaya Kusar Local Government Area of Borno State, said she had never imagined she could learn to use Microsoft Excel and apply it effectively in her work.
Similarly, Hon. Abdul Mohammed Kasila, from Biu Local Government Area, said the participants had acquired knowledge beyond their expectations, thanking the organisers for providing the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills.
After successful completion of the program, certificates were presented to the participants as the initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen community development planning and promote social cohesion in the participating local government areas of Adamawa and Borno states.
The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU), with implementation partners including Oxfam, GIZ, CRUDAN, CODERHI and Yaharakari Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation
