Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Henry Owen
The Edo State Government, through the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), has organised an intensive two-day training on grant and proposal writing for public servants across the state. The initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to strengthen institutional capacity and empower workers with the technical skills required to attract development grants and external support for government programmes.
Held in Benin City, the training brought together officers from various ministries, departments, and agencies. The Director General of JOOPSA, Dr. Gina Otamere, underscored the significance of applying knowledge effectively in the workplace, noting that the gap in public service is not a lack of understanding, but failure to convert knowledge into actionable results.
She highlighted the technical nature of grant writing, stressing that it demands clarity, precision, and strong analytical skills beyond what is required for ordinary proposal development. Dr. Otamere cited a recent example in which she was asked to review a poorly drafted grant document by a senior official—an experience she shared to illustrate how writing quality reflects an officer’s competence, readiness, and professionalism.
While encouraging participants to take full advantage of the training, she reminded them that Edo State provides such opportunities at no cost to the workforce, unlike several other states that pay heavily for similar programmes. She urged the officers to deploy the knowledge gained to advance government objectives, echoing the civic call: “Ask what you can do for your country, not what your country can do for you.”
The lead facilitator, Prof. Evelyn Umemezia, explained that grants are non-repayable financial resources provided to support specific developmental initiatives, provided recipients comply with set conditions. She emphasized the critical role of reliable data in strengthening problem statements and increasing the competitiveness of grant applications.
Other experts who facilitated sessions included Dr. Omoti Abdulkebiru, an investment facilitation and enterprise development specialist, and Mr. Aliyu Osarere Suleiman, a USAID proposal and grant management expert.
The USAID facilitators provided a comprehensive breakdown of the structure of a standard grant proposal. Participants were guided through essential components such as the Executive Summary, Problem Statement, Theory of Change, Logical Framework, Objectives, Indicators, Activities, Implementation Plan, Monitoring and Evaluation, Budget, Organisational Capacity, Partnerships, Risk Mitigation, and Annexes.
They also highlighted common errors that weaken submissions and demonstrated strategies to align proposals with donor priorities, articulate outcomes clearly, and develop measurable indicators that reflect realistic, impactful results.
A major highlight of the workshop was a practical group exercise in which participants were tasked with developing full grant proposals for selected development projects. This hands-on session enabled them to apply the techniques learned and gain practical confidence in preparing competitive grant applications.
The training underscores JOOPSA’s continued commitment to enhancing professionalism, strengthening institutional competence, and building a globally competitive public service capable of driving sustainable development across Edo State.
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