Tracka, a transparency platform owned by BudgIT,\u00a0 that allows citizens
\nto collaborate, track and give feedback on public projects in their
\ncommunities, has observed that a higher percentage of the \u20a6100 billion
\nallocated for zonal intervention projects in 2020 approved budget were
\nallocated for empowerment projects in lieu of infrastructural projects.
\nConsidering the challenge of service delivery in the country, Tracka
\nensures that allocated public funds for projects nominated by members of
\nthe National Assembly, are effectively disbursed for the good of the
\npeople in local communities.<\/p>\n
Lack of transparency and citizen inclusion in the nomination of the
\ncapital projects has led to an increasing number of abandoned projects
\nin various communities across Nigeria, and despite the huge funds
\nallocated for capital expenditure over the years, some projects are
\neither left uncompleted, mismanaged or worse still, abandoned.<\/p>\n
Tracka\u2019s analysis also reveals that over 50% of nominated projects in
\nthe last five years were \u201cempowerment programmes.\u201d These programmes
\ninclude the disbursement of items like sewing machines, bicycles,
\ntricycles, grinding machines amidst other things to constituency
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we advocate for genuine citizen empowerment, the current mode of
\ndisbursement\u00a0 is, to say the least, questionable,\u201d says Ilevbaoje
\nUadamen, Head of Tracka. \u201cIn 2019 and 2020 alone, a total of N58 billion
\nand N63 billion were allocated respectively for empowerment provisions.
\nHow do politicians come to determine the empowerment needs of their
\nconstituents without needs assessment nor inclusion in the
\ndecision-making process and how are the beneficiaries decided?\u201d he
\nqueried further.<\/p>\n
According to recent reports, the government has in the past 11 years
\nallocated a minimum of N1.1 trillion for constituency projects (note
\nthat funds have not been released for 2020 constituency projects as at
\nthe time of this press release), however, the budget breakdown result
\nmisaligns with the huge sum of money released to the respective MDAs for
\nproject execution.
\nIn addition to the aforementioned irregularities, we also observed that
\nprojects worth a total sum of \u20a62.1 billion have unspecified locations.
\nFailure to provide these locations is antithetical to democracy,
\ndepriving communities, CSOs and auditing bodies of information. This
\nanomaly provides an avenue for siphoning public funds meant for project
\nimplementation and also impedes opportunities to monitor and ensure
\nproper implementation of the public officials\u2019 obligations to the
\npeople.<\/p>\n
In the 2020 budget, Tracka discovered over 988 projects that were
\nbudgeted under agencies that do not have the mandate to execute the
\nprojects. We observed that a total sum of\u00a0 \u20a671.5m was budgeted for the
\nsupply of 30 tricycles, 20 carted motorcycles and 80 Motorcycles in
\nEket\/Esit Eket\/ Ibeno\/Onna, Akwa Ibom State under the Ministry of
\nScience and Technology and awarded to the National Centre for Hydropower
\nResearch and Development. Projects like this make us raise eyebrows as
\nthe ministry in question does not have the competence to execute
\nempowerment projects.<\/p>\n
Tracka calls on Nigerian citizens to effectively engage their elected
\nrepresentatives to carry out a needs assessment to ensure their needs
\nare adequately represented in the budget. Nigerians should also track
\nprojects until completion and always demand accountability of allocated
\nfunds. We equally call on members of the National Assembly\u00a0 to also
\nensure that capital projects are being made a priority for the citizens.<\/p>\n
Tracka, a transparency platform owned by BudgIT,\u00a0 that allows citizens to collaborate, track and give feedback on public projects in their communities, has observed that a higher percentage of the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":72347,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other-news"],"yoast_head":"\n