The Executive Director of the Insight Initiative for Community and Social Development (IICSD), Mr. Jare Tiamiyu, has called on local government workers in Osun State to remain loyal to the people they serve rather than to political office holders or individuals, stressing that public service should be guided by transparency, accountability and the public interest.
Tiamiyu made the call on Friday during a media engagement programme held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Hall in Osogbo. The event, titled "Reporting for Grassroots Accountability: Strengthening Osun Local Government Through Public Interest Journalism," brought together journalists, media professionals and civil society organisations to discuss the role of the media in promoting good governance at the grassroots.
The programme, organised by the Insight Initiative for Community and Social Development (IICSD), focused on strengthening accountability in local government administration through investigative and data-driven journalism. The initiative also highlighted its digital transparency platforms, InsightOpenLG and AmoyeAIBot, designed to help residents understand local government budget allocations, expenditure and other governance activities.
Speaking during the event, Tiamiyu urged local government employees to see themselves as custodians of public trust, insisting that their primary responsibility is to the citizens rather than to political leaders.
According to him, local government staff should actively monitor how public funds allocated to their councils are spent and ensure that resources meant for community development are used transparently and efficiently.
He noted that strengthening accountability at the grassroots requires collaboration between government institutions, civil society organisations, the media and citizens. He added that access to public information remains a critical tool in promoting responsible governance and improving service delivery across local government areas.
Tiamiyu also charged journalists to embrace public interest reporting by using data and investigative journalism to expose inefficiency, monitor public spending and keep citizens informed about government activities at the grassroots level.
The IICSD Executive Director further called on the Osun State House of Assembly to urgently review the state's local government electoral framework to reflect current realities and address legal and administrative challenges affecting the conduct of local government elections.
He maintained that reforms in the electoral laws would strengthen democratic governance and improve public confidence in the local government system.
Tiamiyu also appealed to political stakeholders in Osun State to set aside partisan interests and work together to resolve issues surrounding local government administration through dialogue and peaceful engagement.
Participants at the programme commended the initiative for creating a platform that equips journalists with practical skills in data-driven reporting, investigative journalism and accountability reporting, describing the engagement as a significant step towards promoting transparency and citizen participation in governance at the grassroots.
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