CODE sensitises community on tracking constituency projects

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

A Group under the auspices of Connected Development (CODE)  yesterday began a weeklong sensitisation of community members on tracking constituency projects in Kaduna State.

CODE’s Project Assistant, Abubakar Mohammed, said in Kaduna that the sensitisation was under MacArthur Foundation-supported Deepening Citizens’ Interest in Government Spending and Addressing Accompanying Corrupt practices (DeSPAAC) project.

He explained during the sensitisation at Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna North Local Government Area of the state, that the objective was to mobilise citizens to track execution of the projects.

According to him, the goal is to enlist citizens interest in government spendings with a view to addressing accompanying corrupt practices in the execution of government projects.

“We are sensitising community members called “Community Monitoring Teams (CMTs)” on the constituency projects being executed in their area and how the can monitor to ensure that the projects are delivered within specifications.

“We are also sensitising them on how to effectively use the project monitoring Mobile App and the Open Government Partnership to access projects information, monitor and provide feedback to the government.

“Some of the projects in the education sector are supply of books and other learning materials, construction or renovation of classrooms, construction of boreholes and supply of furniture.

“In the health actor, some of the projects include construction of primary health care centres and supply of medical equipment among others,” he said. He said that the CMT would be mobilised to track the constituency projects in 18 communities drawn from six local government areas namely Kaduna North, Igabi, Sabon Gari, Makarfi, Kaura and Zangon kataf.

He said that project in LGEA, Unguwan Rimi included supply of exercise books, text books and computers. The Head Teacher of the school, Mrs Christiana Ajibade, confirmed the supply of the items and described them as “crucial” to quality teaching and learning.

Also, the School Based Management Committee Chairman in the LGA, Mr Jibril Abdullahi, thanked CODE for mobilising them to pay attention to execution of constituency projects in the area.

At LGEA Sabon Gari, Mararaban Jos, Igabi LGA, the Head Teacher, Mr Musa Hamza, said that the constituency projects in the school was the construction of a block of two classrooms and supply of chairs.

Hamza said that the school with 5,128 pupils had only 10 classrooms, adding that the school was in dare need of additional classroom to address the current congestion in class.