The Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) program in Plateau State conducted a comprehensive capacity-building training at Valada Hotel, Jos, on July 1st, 2025, focusing on grievance mechanisms and gender-based violence prevention.
NG-CARES Plateau ranks among the top three states in the national Independent Verification Agent assessment, reflecting strong community-driven development. Governor Barrister Caleb Mutfwang’s administration provides consistent support through funding and enabling policies. Architect Samuel N. Jatau, representing the Governor, emphasized: “Since the inception of this government, all donor-funded programs were profiled to enable us deepen our interventions for high performance.”
The program has delivered measurable impact across Plateau State, including over 50 kilometers of surfaced roads, strengthened food security initiatives, social transfers to vulnerable populations, economic support for small enterprises, and multiple community micro-projects.
Key leaders driving NG-CARES success participated in the training. Dr. Grace Dungung, SCSC Chairperson, provides strategic oversight, while Dr. Haggai Gutap, SCCU Head, confirmed readiness for Phase 2.0: “We are emotionally ready. Our documents, everything, is intact for 2.0.”
Three expert facilitators delivered essential modules: Barr. Hannatu Dauda Simon covered legal frameworks for grievance mechanisms, Eniola Kehinde presented the program overview, and Aishatu Abdullahi facilitated the gender module addressing violence prevention and workplace safety.
Field officers highlighted the training’s practical benefits. Hulda Titus Sukumkya noted: “This training helps us understand how to manage grievances in the field… It’s like a manual on how to handle grievances affecting our beneficiaries.”
Commissioner Regina Soemlat emphasized the program’s community focus: “We develop relationships with communities so they’re comfortable sharing their challenges. We’re doing this work for the communities if they don’t feel the impact, we have failed.”
As Phase 1.0 nears completion, this training serves as crucial preparation for Phase 2.0, scheduled to begin in January 2026. The program’s commitment to continuous improvement positions Plateau State competitively for the next phase.
The training involved participants from all delivery platforms CSDN, FADAMA, and PLASMIDA ensuring unified implementation strategies. With enhanced capacity in grievance management and gender-based violence prevention, NG-CARES Plateau is well positioned to maintain its leadership role in community driven development.
