THE UNDP LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ... - UNDP Nigeria

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE
Advocacy and Sensitization
To ensure participation of various stakeholders in achieving the goal of the LDP programme
the groups put a number of advocacy and sensitization strategies in place. This approach was
very effective in getting religious, community and government leaders committed and involved
in the fight against the HIV & AIDS pandemic and yielded
Responses from the various agencies as summarized below:
1. The First Lady, Her Excellency Mrs Stella Obasanjo, invited the Kogi State
Government to nominate two (2) children orphaned by HIV & AIDS for scholarship.
A participant at the 1st LDP training headed the committee set up by the
government to nominate the potential beneficiaries. In the course of the
implementation of one of the Breakthrough Initiatives – an aggressive sensitization
campaign in the communities, he came to know many orphans and vulnerable
children. His committee was able to take a quick decision on the would-be
beneficiaries, as the criteria used to select the nominees did not meet with any
opposition.
2. In Bauchi State, the Governor approved the release of N10 million as a take off
grant for the State SACA.
In addition, the wife of the Governor led the advocacy team to the twenty (20) Local
Government Areas in the state on need to put in place measures to combat the
disease
3. In Kogi State, the Governor issued a directive that all ministries and local
governments should allocate at least 2-5% of their budget for HIV & AIDS control
and prevention
4. The Chairman of Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia state gave a
commitment to provide VCCT services in the Local Government Area; he also
promised to commit resources into the PLWHA support group that was formed
5. In Abia State, the Head of Service issued a circular to all ministries that all staff
should be educated on HIV & AIDS
6. The Media bosses in Kogi State and Cross River States have allowed all
messages on HIV & AIDS to be aired or printed free of charge.
7. The Bill establishing NACA is enjoying enhanced movement in the National
Assembly due to the participation in the leadership training of some federal
legislators who were part of the government group from FCT Abuja.
8. The traditional institution in Cross River State has taken ownership of the program
and is driving the sensitization process at the community level.
9. By the end of the third session 8 religious committees were established across 6
states.
PLWHA/PABA/OVC
1. For the first time and as a result of the Bis, support groups for PLWHAs were formed in
Kogi State and in one local government in Abia State (Umuahia North) and in Bwari area
council of the FCT.
Home Based Care - some participants of the LDP also trained the relations of some PLWHA
in Bauchi on home-based care.
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