The Kebbi State Local Government Service Commission on Tuesday commenced a three-day intensive training programme for Directors, Deputy Directors of Social Development, and Information Officers, aimed at improving digital communication and information management at the grassroots level.
The capacity-building workshop, held in Sokoto in partnership with UBRA Communications and General Enterprise Limited, brought together participants from all 21 local government areas in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief Consultant, Ahmed Idris, Abubakar Kalgo said the training was timely, given the growing importance of communication in governance.
“In an era where governance is driven by communication, transparency, and community engagement, your responsibilities have become more significant.
“You serve as a vital link between government policies and the people,” he said.
Kalgo explained that the workshop was designed to equip participants with modern communication tools to help translate government programmes into clear and relatable messages at the grassroots.
“You are expected to turn policies into meaningful narratives that resonate with the people, while also providing feedback to improve implementation,” he said.
The Executive Chairman of the Commission, Muhammad Garba, described the programme as part of ongoing efforts to improve efficiency in local government administration.
He said, “This workshop is a clear indication of the importance attached to training and retraining of staff for greater efficiency and service delivery.
“For local government to be effective, the productivity of its personnel must be enhanced.”
Garba warned against absenteeism, noting that significant resources had been invested in the training.
“We will not condone absenteeism. Participants must be attentive and fully engaged to maximise the knowledge provided,” he said.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government Matters, Muhammad Naalla, said the training focused on improving information flow from local councils to rural communities.
“The aim is to enhance their capacity in digital information systems and to disseminate information from the local government to the grassroots.
“What they learn here must be taken back and translated into reality for the benefit of their communities,” he said.
Naalla stressed the importance of dedication among participants, noting the long distances some travelled.
“Someone travelled over 400 kilometres to be here. The least expected is full concentration and dedication,” he added.
He also noted that the selected officers represent key departments, meaning the training would have a wider impact.
“When you train directors, deputy directors and information officers, you have effectively trained the entire department,” he explained.
A participant, Director of Social Development, Augie Local Government, Kabiru Duda, said the workshop would improve how local councils communicate government activities to rural residents.
“We expect to learn effective ways of passing information to our people in the villages about what the government is doing,” he said.
“When we return, we will step this down to our staff and community development assistants.”
Another participant, Fatima Muhammad Taji from Zuru Local Government, praised the initiative, saying it would improve productivity and service delivery.
The training has 63 participants in attendance, with at least four papers scheduled for presentation.
In recent years, state governments have increasingly adopted digital tools to improve communication between government institutions and rural communities.
