Edo Govt Trains Public Servants On Grant Writing To Boost Development Funding
The Edo State Government, through the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), has organised a two-day capacity-building workshop on grant and proposal writing for public servants, as part of efforts to equip them with the technical skills required to attract development funding and support government programmes.
Speaking during the session in Benin City, the Director-General of JOOPSA, Dr. Gina Otamere, noted that the major challenge in the Public Service is not a lack of understanding, but the inability of officers to translate knowledge into meaningful action. She emphasized the need for deliberate and effective application of acquired skills in the workplace.
Dr. Otamere cited a recent instance where a senior government official requested her review of a poorly drafted grant document, stressing that grant writing is highly technical and more structured than ordinary proposal development. According to her, the process requires clarity, precision, and strong analytical skills. She added that writing quality directly reflects an officer’s competence, readiness, and effectiveness. She urged participants to maximize the training, noting that other states often pay heavily for similar capacity-building opportunities.
In her remarks, the lead facilitator, Prof. Evelyn Umemezia, highlighted the importance of accurate data in strengthening problem statements and improving the competitiveness of grant applications.
Other experts who facilitated the workshop included Dr. Omoti Abdulkebiru, an investment facilitation and enterprise development specialist; and Mr. Aliyu Osarere Suleiman, a proposal and grant management specialist with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The USAID facilitators provided a comprehensive breakdown of the structure of a standard grant proposal, guiding participants through key components such as the cover page, executive summary, problem statement, theory of change, logical framework, goals and objectives, indicators, activities, implementation plan, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) strategies, budget development, organisational capacity, partnerships, risk mitigation, and annexes.
They explained how each component contributes to a strong, fundable proposal and highlighted common weaknesses that often undermine submissions. The facilitators also demonstrated how applicants can align proposals with donor priorities, articulate expected outcomes, and present measurable indicators that reflect realistic and impactful results.
The training featured a practical session in which participants drafted full proposals and grant applications for key development projects — an exercise designed to deepen their understanding of the proposal development process.
The workshop aims to promote professionalism and build a more efficient, innovative, and globally competitive Public Service capable of driving sustainable development across Edo State.
