Isiyaku Ahmed
The Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) held a one-day Consultative Meeting on Fostering Transparency and Accountability in Constituency Project Service Delivery.
The meeting which is one of several activities of a 3-year project “Promoting Community-driven Anti-corruption Initiatives in Kano state” being implemented by CHRICED with support from MacArthur Foundation took place on Wednesday at Chilla Luxury Suite and Hotel in Kano.
It had participants drawn from academia, Civil Society Organizations, anti-corruption agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations, and the media.
The objectives of the stakeholders’ meeting were to strengthen local accountability voices, enhance collaboration between communities and key institutions, increase information flow between constituents and political representatives, and enable anti-corruption action and demands.
The project strategy is to use the agencies at community levels to address the monster of corruption in constituency project delivery processes.
In his welcome statement, the Executive Director of CHRICED, Comrade Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, said his organization recognizes the importance of citizens having the requisite skills and capacity to raise important questions and seek sustainable solutions to key governance issues they face.
“We believe that with the right capacity and skill, citizens will be able to hold duty bearers responsible for service delivery accountable, especially with respect to the use of public resources.
“Also, as a knowledge-driven platform of active citizens working for the promotion of human rights, rule of law, democracy, and accountability, CHRICED remains committed to the realization of a democratic Nigeria where participation, inclusion, and transparency are guaranteed and state and non-state actors actively collaborate towards accountable and responsive use of resources for the collective well-being of citizens.
“All stakeholders in the entire governance process have a critical role to play towards the achievement of the goal of this project, which is to reduce corruption in the delivery of basic social services through the agency of the community,” he said.
The Consultative Meeting provides a reflection, which should in turn spur every stakeholder to implement action points and key resolutions to promote transparency and accountability in the constituency project implementation process.
Comrade Zikirullahi said CHRICED believe all stakeholders should strategically and consistently beam the searchlight on constituency projects to ensure they are determined by participatory planning, timely delivery, and value for money.
“All stakeholders equally have the big role of ensuring the benefits of constituency projects are not lost to corruption.
“We are equally convinced that it should be the interest of duty bearers in government, communities, the media, and CSOs to ensure public resources are used for the collective good of everyone in the society, adding that constituency project is one of the many government programs, which could have helped spread development, and give citizens a sense of benefits from public resources.
“If the intended service delivery envisage through the constituency project is as effective as the intentions should be, such basic things as rural roads, cottage industries, health facilities, recreational spaces and so many more would have been built in communities across the country.
“Unfortunately, projects, which should have been the outcomes of democratic decision-making and robust participation of the people at the grassroots are being subverted to serve inordinate interests instead of the public good, he said.
He noted that the reality is making the ordinary citizen lose hope. Many citizens no longer believe that government and the entire governance process is meant to work for them, such a mindset is not good for the stability, security, peace, and orderly governance of our country, he added.
According to Comrade Zikirullahi, to restore faith in the system, stakeholders must work collectively to ensure the benefits of good governance reach the people at the grassroots.
“This is the reason CHRICED has always called on citizens not to merely complain about the situation in their communities, but to take steps using democratic and lawful means to participate in the governance process.
“Every stakeholder also needs to take advantage of anti-corruption tools available in laws, and international commitments such as the Open Government Partnership (OGP), Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, and the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
“CHRICED commends the Independent Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) for regularly publishing information on constituency projects on its website…this is a big step towards promoting transparency and accountability.”
“It is also important that the general list of projects for which monies have been released; a critical next step for the wider transparency and openness, which citizens are demanding.”
Dr. Comrade Zikilluah said CHRICED is open to synergies and collaboration in order to use these instruments to realize the cardinal objective of preventing corruption and improving service delivery.
In their goodwill message, Musa Ahmed Esq. representing the Honourable Acting Chief Judge of Kano State and Abdu Ajumawa Ladan, the Director of Development Support Co-ordination, Kano State Ministry of Planning and Budget appreciated CHRICED.
They said the meeting and topic came at the right time considering the forthcoming change of administration in the state and called for legislation on constituency project delivery instead of leaving it in the hands of politicians.
“In most cases, there are no collaborations, cooperation, and synergy between the state legislators and the federal lawmakers with respect to constituency project implementations….and the issue of ‘no cash backing’ is disturbing,” they added.
Honourable Salisu Ibrahim Doguwa, Member representing Doguwa Local Government Constituency at the State House House of Assembly and the Committee Chairman, Appropriation and SDGs and Poverty Alienation said CHRICED has brought light to how constituency projects should be handled.
He said before CHRICED’s intervention, constituency project implementations has been a huge challenge in the state.
Hon. Doguwa also noted that Kano state is rated best in constituency project implementation as most projects are not abandoned due to enough mobilization and oversight functions of the State Assembly and the State Ministry of Works, Housing, and Infrastructure
The Executive Secretary, Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption, Barr. Ibrahim Garba Kagara presented a keynote address tagged “Imperatives of Community-driven Anti-corruption Fight: Enhancing Constituency Project Service Delivery in Nigeria.”
The stakeholders’ consultative meeting also had panel discussions on “Leaving No-one Behind: Reflecting Gender Equity and Social Inclusion in Constituency Project Service Delivery.” It featured the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-corruption Commission (PCAAC) a Civil Society Organization, and the Media, and was moderated by Prof. Ummu Ahmed Jalingo.
