In Dagbaja, a predominantly farming community with a population of over 5000 people in Oriade local government area in Osun state; a health care facility in need of urgent rehabilitation has been left in ruins despite a N20 million allocation in the 2017 budget for constituency projects.
BudgIT’s Project Tracking Officer, Akinyemi Olusina paid a visit to Dagbaja community to intimate the rural dwellers on the awareness of the rehabilitation of the clinic nominated by Honorable Oluwole Oke, a member of the national assembly representing Obokun/ Oriade Federal Constituency. Olusina observed that the rehabilitation of the said health centre is yet to kick off, forcing community members to make do with antiquated beds, bad toilets and obsolete equipments
A community member, Mrs. Sariyu Omilana mentioned that although Hon. Oluwole Oke visited the community to announce the rehabilitation of the clinic, the budgeted amount for the project was not made public. Lamenting the decaying state of the clinic, she said; “The Federal government stopped equipping the medical health centre long ago. The clinic does not have anti-malarial drugs neither is there immunization for children. There is also the absence of medical personnels and this has led to loss of lives in emergency cases”
Hospital bed in Dagbaja health centre
Mrs Omilani further added that no trace of reconstruction has been seen around the clinic since the time Hon. Oke visited the community last year to announce the commencement of the rehabilitation. She however promised that the community would reach out to the lawmaker to remind him of his promise.
When Tracka visited the community on the 2nd of December for sensitization, copies of the 2017 printed budgets were distributed to indigenes in order to enlighten them on how democracy ought to promote good governance and accountability from representatives at the federal house of assembly.
Record also shows that the Dagbaja health centre which serves other communities in Oriade local government as well as some suburbs in Dagbaja ought to cater for about 6000 patients. At the moment, patients do not have access to adequate treatment owing to the absence of drugs and modern medical facilities.
Medical equipment
As at the time of the visit, the health centre only distributes mosquito nets and offer first aid treatment to patients. The only toilet in the facility has fallen into disrepair even as the roof of the building is almost falling apart. The paintings on the clinic walls have worn off while the springs of the bed are broken, casting the image of a clinic with a sordid case of neglect and abandonment. No hospital equipment or drugs were found within the dispensary of the clinic.
There is no gainsaying the fact that non-actualization of budgeted government project as a result of lackadaisical attitude is becoming a norm for most federal lawmakers in the country. The attitude is not only jeopardizing the expectations of citizens but also truncating the benefits that should accrue to citizens participating in the local democratic process.
It is instructive to also mention that during the course of Tracka’s advocacy in the community, indigenes also lamented a seven year absence of electricity, good roads, and potable water. The community also desires good schools that will help in the development of analytical skills and educational character in their wards.
Tracka is a community of active citizens monitoring the implementation of capital projects in rural communities in order to ensure service delivery whilst demanding accountability in governance.
