As more Nigerians download and engage with the ConsTrack mobile app for
tracking of constituency projects, a cross-section of top leaders of civil
society in Nigeria has lauded the initiative and recommended the app as
the veritable tool for constructive and productive citizen engagement in
Nigeria.
The user friendly mobile application was recently launched by OrderPaper
Nigeria to enable and empower citizens to engage their elected
representatives on constituency projects.
The app is available for download on both Google Play Store and IOS Store
respectively.
Among the civil society leaders who lent their voices strongly in support
of the ConsTrack app are the Executive Director, Media Rights Agency
(MRA), Edetaen Ojo, Director, International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre
Arogundade, Convener, Corruption Anonymous and Coordinator of African
Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Chido Onumah, and
Convener of Take Back Nigeria, Jaye Gaskia.
These CSO leaders agree unanimously that the ConsTrack app is a timely
intervention to bring sanity to the corruption-laden constituency projects
scheme operated by lawmakers alongside implementing agencies of
government.
They also agree that the app is a most useful tool for citizen engagement
in the efforts to enthrone fiscal transparency in Nigeria as well as the
drive for open and inclusive budgeting processes.
Mr. Arogundade said: “The quest for a robust democratic culture where
media freedoms are respected begins with the right to know and hold
opinions. Our right to know and interrogate what our legislators do with
constituency projects funds is not negotiable. That is why I ask you to
engage the ConsTrack App now.”
On his part, Mr. Ojo said. “I stand for development-oriented constituency
representation which prioritizes the interest of the people and respects
their right to information. I endorse the Cons Track App.”
Mr. Onumah and Mr. Gaskia strongly recommended the app, saying: “I stand
or development-oriented constitue ncy representation. I endorse the
ConsTrack App.”
A defining feature of the app is that it allows citizens to track and
directly report their findings on the projects either by text, audio or
videos with their mobile devices in the comfort of their neighborhoods,
communities and constituencies.
These independent citizens’ reports invariably ignite a chain of updates,
reactions and counter reactions from various stakeholders in a continuous
stream of engagement. The ConsTrack app is importantly also a veritable
platform for legislators to tell their success on constituency projects in
order to provide a balanced narrative and healthy interface between
citizens and their elected representatives in parliament.
In summary, the ConsTrack app is a tool that cuts through the controversy
on constituency projects by disrupting corruption and opacity associated
with the scheme in a manner that engenders policy reforms along the lines
of transparency, accountability and inclusiveness.
The release of the ConsTrack app is a culmination of various levels of
multi-stakeholder consultations and validation exercises that have spanned
over a year. Actors and stakeholders that have been involved in the
consultations include legislators in the National and State Assemblies,
Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government, Civil Society
Organizations (CSOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), the Media,
Software and IT experts, and Development Practitioners, among others.
The ConsTrack project is designed and implemented by OrderPaper Nigeria,
the country’s authentic citizens-parliament multi-platform interface, and
with support from USAID.