In view of findings and experiences gathered during a two-week tracking exercise for constituency projects in Kano State, it is apparent that a good number of individuals implementing certain projects, do not have the interest of the people at heart. Observations are, that projects implemented during the 2019 -2020 budget cycle had very limited impact on the target communities, either due to their insufficient quantity, poor quality or the failure to carry along target beneficiaries in the planning and execution of the projects.
In a press conference on the state of constituency projects in Kano State, The Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) explained that a good number of projects tracked were not cost-effective and offered very low value for the huge sums of money expended on them. Â However, a critical analysis of the bills of quantity for some of the projects tracked recently, revealed that contracts sums were often over-bloated.
While addressing the Newsmen, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) amongst others, Mr Armsfree Ajakunu, the programs and communications manager who represented Comr. Ibrahim Zikirulahi, the Executive Director of CHRICED explained that the regular sharing of information and updates on the state of projects and social services, which directly impact the lives of citizens is one of the major objectives of the CHRICED project titled; Promotion of Community-Driven Anti-Corruption Initiatives in Kano State.
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“The goal of the project is to reduce corruption in the delivery of social goods and services by promoting transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness. To ensure the agency of the citizen is harnessed and fully deployed in furtherance of the objectives of this project, CHRICED has convened a series of community enlightenment programs targeting constituents, including youth, women, and people living with disabilities from the 44 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kano State.
“A critical analysis of the bills of quantity for some of the projects tracked revealed that contracts sums were often over-bloated. After collecting these largely over-bloated sums for the awarded contracts, the contractors still deliver less than what was specified in the contract agreements. For instance, a check with a site engineer who handled one of the contracts for the solar-powered streetlight projects revealed that it cost an average of about N 150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) to procure and install a unit of solar-powered streetlight.
“Some of such poorly executed projects include a block of classrooms at YarYasa Town Primary School in Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano state, constructed by Global Merchant Limited, under the supervision of the Universal Basic Education Commission in 2020. There is also the block of three classrooms at Government Girls Arabic Secondary School Toranke, handled by Jessifas Synergy Limed and supervised by Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI); a block of two classrooms at Tassa Primary School in Dawakin Kudu Local Government, constructed by Puranova Nigeria Limited under the supervision of the Universal Basic Education Commission, among others documents. Mr Ajakunu explained.
Notably, CHRICED’s strategy of campaigning for transparency and accountability also placed a lot of premium on the role of teeth actors. These are the anti-corruption institutions, which have the responsibility to call to order or sanction duty bearers in the face of any infractions.
These disturbing realities from the projects tracked, make it imperative for citizens to consistently beam the searchlight on constituency projects, from the planning to the phase of execution. Citizens, the media, CSOs, community-based organizations and importantly, the teeth actors need to stay the course and ensure that some measure of sanity is restored to the constituency project implementation process, not only in Kano State but all over Nigeria.
