In 2022, we focused on sensitising communities in preparation for the 2023 general elections in addition to our project tracking and community advocacy activities. The country is in a critical period, and decisions taken at the polls ultimately affect our work and the impact we can make.
We have been saddled with the responsibility to educate Nigerians on how governance works and why we must focus on other tiers of government as much as we focus on the Presidency. We sensitised over 167,000 citizens in 1,246 town hall meetings across 32 states.
We recorded twenty-seven success and impact stories across fifteen states from our online and offline advocacies. Here is a roundup of our successes and impact across selected states;
FCT Abuja – Provision of Water to Zokutu Community, Kuje Area Council
In May 2022, we discovered that over 4,000 people in FCT, Nigeria’s capital, could not access potable water for over 20 years. The residents of Zokutu community, Kuje Area Council, were consuming water that looked like a puddle of brown mud from a stream because that was their only source.
During Tracka’s first visit, they refused to speak with us. But after further probe and reassurances that we were genuinely interested in their plight, they obliged.
Residents of the community had to go the extra mile to boil the water they fetched for daily consumption. But it wasn’t enough. Many residents developed ailments and died from consuming the water.
Mrs Rose, a resident, spoke to us about women’s experience using bad water during their menstrual period.
“I grew up with this water problem; now I have become a mother, it has become worse. We use the bad water like that for our menstruation. We use rags or old clothes to care for ourselves during that period with dirty water like that. We are used to it and don’t feel anything again because our pains and cries are not yielding any positive results.” said Mrs Rose.
We wrote a story about it, spotlighted their condition on social media, wrote to the necessary government stakeholders and followed up with them to ensure implementation.
When we visited again in January 2023, a borehole had been constructed. The office of Senator Phillip Aduda, representing the senatorial district, implemented the project. The residents were overjoyed about the development and expressed their gratitude.
Mrs Mudu, a youth representative said, “The very day they finished it, they used a generator to on it, and we had water for over 3hrs rushing out, which was the first time in the history of Zokutu community getting that kind of water, it was like a dream at first, but I can’t believe it was real and the joy of getting to see water clean coming out, I can not even talk on behalf of other people, you can ask them too.” she said.
Aminata, a mother of three, told us that the children can now go to school and not have to spend the whole day looking for water.
“My children can now go to school in the morning like normal children instead of spending the whole day looking for water that is not even clean.”
Kaduna – Renovation of Government Secondary School, Baban Saura, Chikun LGA
GSS Baban Saura, a secondary school in Chikun LGA, was dilapidated when we visited in June 2022. Over 500 students sat on the bare floor to learn, and the building had no windows, proper roofing, or doors. We called the government’s attention to it on Twitter and wrote letters to the stakeholders.
In January 2023, the headteacher called us to inform us that the renovations had been completed and the furniture was supplied. When we visited, we confirmed that the classrooms were renovated, over 200 desks were provided, the toilets were renovated, and a borehole was dug and working. Not only do the students have new, conducive classrooms, but they also now have access to WASH facilities.
This is a big feat, and we commend the Kaduna State government and the relevant stakeholders for taking swift action to alleviate the plight of the students. We urge them to be proactive and efficient in providing a conducive environment and quality learning materials for children in the state.
FCT Abuja – Construction of Tunga Sarki Bridge, Kwali Area Council
In September 2021, we discovered that residents of Tunga Sarki in Abuja- had been landlocked within their community for over four years, as going out equals crossing mountains and seas, literally.
The bridge, which linked the community to their market, schools, and other communities, had collapsed since 2018, affecting the living conditions of the residents.
Many have lost their lives and income because of the road. When Tracka visited the community to teach them how to engage their elected representatives to fix the road, the residents complained bitterly about the situation.
We wrote a story on the issue, wrote letters, and supported the community to continuously advocate for the project to the relevant stakeholders. When we visited again in January 2022 for updates, the bridge had been constructed in November 2022, and residents were joyful about it.
The bridge was built alongside an 8km road which links directly to the Abuja-Lokoja federal highway, giving them direct access to large-scale commerce and development.
Residents in Tunga Sarki and neighbouring communities are joyful because they can resume normal activities, and children can go to school without fearing ghastly accidents.
Bauchi – Construction of Sangara Primary School, Ningi LGA
In October 2022, we visited Sangara Primary School. We discovered that the school, which served as a primary and junior secondary school, does not have a single habitable structure that accommodates the students despite having 600 students.
There are no furniture which means ALL the students sit on the bare floor to learn under the sun or rain, and the teachers lamented the lack of teaching materials. Classes end for the day whenever the sun comes out harshly, or it is about to rain. The residents complained that the government had abandoned them despite several pleas.
We spotlighted their situation on our social media pages. The tweet caught the attention of Honourable Bamidele Salam – a member representing Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal constituency – who promised to speak to the community’s representative in the National Assembly.
This has resulted in the ongoing construction of a block of 3 classrooms by the Senator, Halliru Dauda Jika representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District. The residents were jubilant and called us in January 2023 to report the new development.
In appreciating the new development, Mr Salim, a parent in the community, said, “We can’t thank Tracka enough for its ceaseless effort to draw our Senator’s attention to the unbearable conditions our children and their teachers are facing and making them turn the situation around. We pray other representatives will follow suit to renovate the existing buildings in the school premises so that they can be habitable.”
Kano – Renovation of Kaura Goje Primary Health Centre, Nasarawa LGA
In September 2021, during our visits to primary health centres in four states – Kano, Kaduna, Niger & Bauchi – to ascertain the state of primary healthcare in the country, we visited Kaura Goje Primary Health Centre in Nasarawa LGA, Kano.
The facility was in horrible condition. It was overcrowded because the health centre caters to residents across four LGAs in the vicinity, there is no electricity available, and the maternity ward is dilapidated.
We called the attention of the Kano state government to their plight. In January 2023, the centre was renovated with a new maternity ward constructed. Residents in the vicinity were overjoyed about the development and expressed their gratitude.
“This is a huge achievement. We will no longer have antenatal and delivery care issues because of the new ward. We are grateful to Tracka for helping us bring the government to help us.” said Sadiya, a pregnant woman in the community.
Oyo – Construction Of 3blocks Of Classrooms With Provision Of Office And Toilets In Muslim Grammar School Otu, Itesiwaju/Kajola Fed. Constituency
In September 2020, we visited Muslim Grammar School, Itesiwaju LGA, Oyo, to sensitise them on the N10m provision in the 2020 budget to construct 3 blocks of classrooms and toilets in the school.
We encouraged them to engage the relevant authorities to ensure the project was implemented. At the time, the school had 599 students using only 2 blocks of classrooms, which made the school overcrowded. Students had to sit on the bare floor in the corridors to receive lectures.
In November 2020, we revisited the school to confirm and ascertain if any activities had commenced, but nothing had been done. After some deliberation with the school management, we prepared an official letter. We sent it to the Ministry of Water Resources and Honourable Shina Peller representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa & Kajola Federal Constituency.
We visited again in May 2021, and construction started. The staff revealed that the contractor wanted to change the project from constructing a block of classrooms to drilling a water borehole. They challenged him that it was not what was specified in the budget. The principal said, “Had we not been empowered with the right information by Tracka, we would have just accepted without knowing they wanted to shortchange us.”
After a block of two classrooms was constructed, the students and teachers say overcrowding is now a thing of the past as the classrooms are sufficient to host all the students.
The students told Tracka that it had improved their productivity as they now learn in a conducive environment, improving their grades.
What Next?
This year, as the country transitions into new administrations, we are committed to being a bridge that connects citizens and the government. Through our Community Champions initiative, we are consciously raising a community of active citizens and equipping them with the right tools to hold the government accountable to ensure equitable development in the next four years.
Though the future looks bleak, we press on, one person at a time, one community at a time.
Story by Ayomide Ladipo
