As more Nigerians download and engage with the ConsTrack mobile app for
\ntracking of constituency projects, a cross-section of top leaders of civil
\nsociety in Nigeria has lauded the initiative and recommended the app as
\nthe veritable tool for constructive and productive citizen engagement in
\nNigeria.<\/p>\n
The user friendly mobile application was recently launched by OrderPaper
\nNigeria to enable and empower citizens to engage their elected
\nrepresentatives on constituency projects.<\/p>\n
The app is available for download on both Google Play Store and IOS Store
\nrespectively.<\/p>\n
Among the civil society leaders who lent their voices strongly in support
\nof the ConsTrack app are the Executive Director, Media Rights Agency
\n(MRA), Edetaen Ojo, Director, International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre
\nArogundade, Convener, Corruption Anonymous and Coordinator of African
\nCentre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Chido Onumah, and
\nConvener of Take Back Nigeria, Jaye Gaskia.<\/p>\n
These CSO leaders agree unanimously that the ConsTrack app is a timely
\nintervention to bring sanity to the corruption-laden constituency projects
\nscheme operated by lawmakers alongside implementing agencies of
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
They also agree that the app is a most useful tool for citizen engagement
\nin the efforts to enthrone fiscal transparency in Nigeria as well as the
\ndrive for open and inclusive budgeting processes.<\/p>\n
Mr. Arogundade said: “The quest for a robust democratic culture where
\nmedia freedoms are respected begins with the right to know and hold
\nopinions. Our right to know and interrogate what our legislators do with
\nconstituency projects funds is not negotiable. That is why I ask you to
\nengage the ConsTrack App now.”<\/p>\n
On his part, Mr. Ojo said. “I stand for development-oriented constituency
\nrepresentation which prioritizes the interest of the people and respects
\ntheir right to information. I endorse the Cons Track App.”<\/p>\n
Mr. Onumah and Mr. Gaskia strongly recommended the app, saying: “I stand
\nor development-oriented constitue ncy representation. I endorse the
\nConsTrack App.”<\/p>\n
A defining feature of the app is that it allows citizens to track and
\ndirectly report their findings on the projects either by text, audio or
\nvideos with their mobile devices in the comfort of their neighborhoods,
\ncommunities and constituencies.<\/p>\n
These independent citizens\u2019 reports invariably ignite a chain of updates,
\nreactions and counter reactions from various stakeholders in a continuous
\nstream of engagement.\u00a0 The ConsTrack app is importantly also a veritable
\nplatform for legislators to tell their success on constituency projects in
\norder to provide a balanced narrative and healthy interface between
\ncitizens and their elected representatives in parliament.<\/p>\n
In summary, the ConsTrack app is a tool that cuts through the controversy
\non constituency projects by disrupting corruption and opacity associated
\nwith the scheme in a manner that engenders policy reforms along the lines
\nof transparency, accountability and inclusiveness.<\/p>\n
The release of the ConsTrack app is a culmination of various levels of
\nmulti-stakeholder consultations and validation exercises that have spanned
\nover a year. Actors and stakeholders that have been involved in the
\nconsultations include legislators in the National and State Assemblies,
\nMinistries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government, Civil Society
\nOrganizations (CSOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), the Media,
\nSoftware and IT experts, and Development Practitioners, among others.<\/p>\n
The ConsTrack project is designed and implemented by OrderPaper Nigeria,
\nthe country\u2019s authentic citizens-parliament multi-platform interface, and
\nwith support from USAID.<\/p>\n
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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":63735,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n