What began as a bold initiative by Yiaga Africa to bridge the divide between elected representatives and their constituents has evolved into a transformative journey. Thirty-three interns, driven by curiosity, action, and ambition, have stepped into their constituency offices not just to observe, but to shape the political landscape of their communities and cultivate a more responsive, connected legislature. This mission is now bearing fruit across the country. Today, we spotlight the happenings at the Bwari/AMAC Federal Constituency office in Abuja, where Yiaga Africa’s Centre for Legislative Engagement (CLE) team visited the office of Honourable Obika Chinedu, representing Bwari/AMAC, to evaluate the impact of the Constituency Office Internship Program (COIP). The team witnessed firsthand the meaningful contributions of interns driving change and fostering stronger connections with the community.
According to Mr Uchendu Ogoegbunam, this is the first time in history that the Bwari/Amac Federal Constituency has established a constituency office, and beyond just being operational, the office actively engages with constituents every month. The office has developed a structured approach to ensure that constituents are well attended to, including compiling names and letters from individuals wishing to meet with Honourable Obika Chinedu. This effort has led to Honourable Obika Chinedu responding to numerous requests, including empowering 600 individuals and groups within the constituency, securing admissions to the School of Nursing for some constituents, providing job opportunities in the health sector, and implementing a free education scheme at the College of Education in Zuba.
The team also learnt that Honourable Obika Chinedu has made significant efforts to maintain a strong relationship with his constituents through maintaining regular meetings to nurture open communication and provide prompt action to concerns raised.
While expressing gratitude to Yiaga Africa for its constant efforts to improve legislator-constituency relations, the CLE team was given a tour around the constituency office to provide them with a comprehensive understanding of the operations and the role of the COIP intern in supporting their office activities.
Like Salihu Gobe, 32 other interns have been deployed to constituency offices across Nigerian states, where they are making significant strides in strengthening the connection between legislators and their constituents while promoting participatory governance at the grassroots level. This is all part of the Constituency Office Internship Program, an initiative by Yiaga Africa’s Centre for Legislative Engagement, supported by the European Union. The program aims to boost youth engagement in governance by placing young interns in constituency offices for three months. During this time, the interns assist with administrative tasks, legislative research, and community outreach. Through this direct involvement, the program enhances the responsiveness of elected representatives to the needs of their communities.
