A critical component to ensuring the success of democracy is by encouraging citizens participation in governance issues. The Tracka team is working on the 2015 federal government budget to track the 2015 constituency projects provided in Anambra State.
So far, we have tracked 24 projects in 11 communities across the State, interestingly, 11 of these has been completed, with 9 ongoing and 4 undone projects. Anambra is one of the most admirable of the other focus States, with an impressive performance when it comes to capital project implementation.
We visited the Amesi Community to oversee the completion of a N6 million block of 3 classrooms with office and VIP toilet at the central school. The project has reached completion, and the Pupils expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of the new school buildings. The school management commended the efforts of the Federal Government towards the community.
Also, we supervised another provision, the completion of the N10 million Community Water project at St. Joseph Catholic Church at Umuenze. The project has been abandoned, and the community members still lack access to clean water, exposing them to the rigors of waterborne diseases from unclean sources.
In Ihiala town, there was a provision for a N10 million Township Stadium in the 2015 budget. We observed that work started at the site, but the project was eventually abandoned. The indigenes revealed other than the fence enclosure erected many years back; no effort has been made to complete the project. They expressed displeasure over government’s inability to fulfill this project and stated the stadium would be useful as an empowerment center for the youths, for sports development and skills acquisition. The center has since been reduced to a waste dumping site.
Tracka team sensitized indigenes of the Umeze,Ihiala,Ogboji and oneh Communities, encouraged them to be actively involved in the budget monitoring process. We highlighted the importance of effectively engaging their Reps at the NASS to ensure service delivery. Our team will follow up with letters to support the Community’s interest and ensure project execution in the respective Local Government Areas.
