In an effort to drive accountability and seek transparency in the delivery of constituency projects to residents in Kano North senatorial district, the Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has insisted that citizens follow up on the delivery of constituency projects in their communities.
Through its report back session which seeks to promote community driven Anti-Corruption initiatives in Kano State, CHRICED stressed the need for constituents to raise important questions and seek for sustainable solutions to key governance issues by holding duty bearers accountable, especially with respect to the use of public resources.
While engaging the constituents, Comr Ibrahim Zikirullahi the Executive Director of CHRICEDwho was represented by the Senior Programs Officer Mr Omoniyi Adewoye noted that the delivery of constituency projects in the state has overtime been characterized by various forms of corruption, thereby leaving the citizens impoverished, adding the Northwestern part of the country still grapples with high level of insecurity, poverty, malnutrition, amongst others.
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“The burden is upon our shoulders as members of communities, associations, professional groups and opinion leaders to campaign relentlessly to ensure the democratic process delivers a better life for millions of our fellow country men and women. If the corruption in high and low places is not checked, it will continue to derail our efforts.” He said.
Dalhatu Bangaje, a representative of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offenses Related Commission (ICPC) while stressing the need for citizens to speak out in situations where they notice any foul play in the delivery of constituency projects told the constituents that huge public funds are budgeted for the execution of constituency projects. He said it was Citizens’ right to report any corrupt practice they discover in the process of service delivery.
“Your role in the delivery of constituency projects cannot be overemphasized because if you don’t speak out when certain projects are not serving its purposes, tax payers’ money will be in vain. Any project such as construction or renovation of schools, roads, primary health facilities and others which doesn’t last for a substantial time or serve its purpose needs to be investigated.
“If you keep silent when projects do not serve their purposes, you are the ones that will undergo the hardship caused by the sharp practices. In reporting corrupt practices, you can make use of our toll free lines or send us emails and the reports sent in will be anonymous. However, our office is also open for communications and reportage of corrupt cases.” He concluded.
Mr Nurudeen Suleiman, the head of economic governance in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Zonal office Kano, explained that the electorate are supposed to be in planning process of constituency projects, as it is their need that should call for the planning and execution of constituency projects in their localities.
He also encouraged the constituents to make use of the EFCC’s Eagle Eye application in reporting irregularities in constituency project delivery adding that the federal government’s whistle blowers’ platform was another platform to utilize in the process of reporting cases of irregularities in the delivery of constituency projects.
