Tracka provides citizens with simplified budgetary information to enable them to monitor capital projects in their communities and give feedback to the government. Through advocacy at the rural communities, citizens are sensitised and strengthened to engage their Representatives at the National Assembly to be involved in the budget formulation process and inquire the status of the Federal Government’s zonal intervention projects accorded them.
In our bid to increase service delivery in Gombe State, we visited four communities: to engage residents on the constituency projects in the 2016 Budget. As at the time of visit in November, we observed many of the projects had not commenced, with only one completion and two ongoing projects.
The residents of Talase community were oblivious of the provisions and surprised about the enormous sum the Federal Government had earmarked for the rural communities in Gombe State.
One of the projects tracked is the construction of a block of 3 classrooms at Community College of Islamic Studies, Talase Balanga Ward at the cost of N15m. Talase is the headquarters of Balanga, with over 213,000 residents.
Tracka Officer held a community engagement meeting with the indigenes in November 2016 to sensitise them on the provision. Afterwards, the community head sent a letter to their Representative, Sen. Joshua Lidani Moltobok and the responsible Ministries to inquire the status of the classroom projects.
The project commenced in January ; we confirm it is ongoing and the class provisions will enhance the learning conditions of the students of Talase upon completion.
Tracka team also visited Junge Balanga to oversee the status of the construction of a block of two classroom offices and a store in Ward 19 of Balanga for N72.9m. Tracka team sensitised the indigenes who were unaware of the provisions at a town hall meeting and encouraged them to write letters to their Representative at the National Assembly, Senator Joshua Lidani Moltobok. This project is ongoing.
We also tracked the N30m Youth and Women Empowerment Project in Balanga / Billiri and confirmed its Implementation.
Tracka will continue to engage the residents of Gombe to ensure better service delivery in the grassroots.
