By Yakubu Salisu, Kano
Media practitioners and Civil Society groups have been tasked on the need for a close monitoring of constituency projects for the good of the people.
The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civil Education (CHRICED) made the call on Thursday during a two days training for media and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on transparency, accountability in constituency project service delivery in Kano.
According to the Executive Director, CHRICED, Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, Representative by the Seniror Programme Officer, Mr. Omoniyi Adewoye, said media and CSOs need to work closely by shining a spotlight on constituency projects, especially programs in which the government expends public funds.
“constituency projects are meant to touch lives of ordinary citizen at community level.
EveryKobo allocated to both state and federal levels should be well utilized to deliver dividends of democracy.
According to him, “we follow up, track and report any corrupt practices within the implementation of constituency projects in Kano state.
“More efforts needed to be put in service delivery, to see that at community levels politicians should not be able to squander our money.
“In 2022 our centre recorded a huge success, we were selected by the ICPC among the few organisation to join them in tracking some of the constituency projects.
“We made sure that some contractors that abandoned their constituency project return to site and some of those projects projects have been completed and delivered”, he said.
The Executive Director further explained that constituencies are now well aware of their responsibility in tracking those projects
He added that in the past they think politicians use their personal money to development their community.
“CHRICED has made constituents understand it is constituency money through this programme organised under the sponsorship of the Mac Arthur Foundation.
“The constituents are now beaming searchlight on every project that is been brought to their community and also look at documents to know the ones implemented and the ones that are still in abstract to enable them follow up.
He urged politicians to stop corruption in constituency projects.
Papers presented during the training include; Constituency projects in Nigeria and the question of Political Accountability, the Role of CBOs and CSOs in Monitoring Constituency Projects Implementation as well as Overview if the CHRICED Project of community-Driven Anti-Corruption Initiatives in Kano State.