Kebbi trains LG officers in digital communication for grassroots engagement

The Kebbi State Local Government Service Commission began a three-day intensive training on Tuesday for Directors, Deputy Directors of Social Development, and Information Officers, aimed at strengthening digital communication and information management at the grassroots.

The capacity-building workshop, held in Sokoto in collaboration with UBRA Communications and General Enterprise Limited, brings together participants from all 21 local government areas of the state.

Speaking on behalf of the Chief Consultant, Ahmed Idris, Abubakar Kalgo said the training comes at a critical time when governance increasingly depends on effective communication.

“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 added that the workshop was designed to equip participants with modern tools to translate government programmes into 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.

In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Muhammad Garba, described the training as part of ongoing efforts to boost efficiency in local government administration.

He stated, “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, stressing that the government had committed substantial resources to the programme.

“We will not condone absenteeism. Participants must be attentive and fully engaged to maximise the knowledge provided,” he said.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government Matters, Muhammad Naalla, said the training was focused on improving how information flows from 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 emphasised the importance of commitment from participants, noting the long distances many travelled to attend.

“Someone travelled over 400 kilometres to be here. The least expected is full concentration and dedication,” he added.

On whether the training would be replicated at the local level, he said the selected officers already represent key structures within their departments.

“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 councils communicate government activities to rural populations.

“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, commended the state government for the initiative, noting that it would enhance productivity in their duties.

No fewer than 63 participants are attending the training, with at least four papers scheduled for presentation during the workshop.

In recent years, state governments have increasingly turned to digital tools to bridge the communication gap between government institutions and rural communities.