By Chioma Kanu, Abuja
Chioma Kanu
While transparency alone is not sufficient for improving implementation of livelihood projects, inclusive community participation is crucial for realising the positive outcomes associated with greater budget transparency and accountability.
Improved budget for livelihoods and good governance require the meaningful engagement of the citizens including female headed households, especially at the grassroots level.
While participatory budgeting at community levels focuses on promoting social justice, transparency and accountability by providing the government with community-oriented information and facts that improve financial efficiency, it is surprising that indigenous women group like the Mothers and Marginalised Advocacy Centre’s Udi rightsholders have had little or no knowledge of the goals of government in the budget process.
Given the role of infrastructure in enhancing socio-economic development and well-being of the people, the growth and development of a community is determined by the quality of its products from accessible roads.
Road projects in Nigeria are confronted with a lot of complexities and ambiguities as a result of uncertainties of not meeting project deadlines which also hinge on low quality, corruption, mismanagement, diversion and cost overruns. This invariably lead to failure and abandonment of such projects. Good roads are the live wire and instrument of choice at the grassroots due to its role in providing the basic requirements for the entire people and facilitating agricultural activities.
In every project to be undertaken, planning is very important, hence the rate of abandoned road projects in the South East including Enugu state is so alarming. Regrettably, there are many abandoned road projects in Udi Local Government Area, where the roads leading from villages to markets and to other neighbouring towns like Ekeani Enugu village via Etiti via Amachala via Umuase to Nsude mission market to Orieagu and Nkwoagu markets, have remained deplorable.
As related to capital projects, it has been revealed that whopping sums are allocated annually to various livelihood projects anticipated for the development of Udi Local Government Area. However, the concerned communities across Udi have no knowledge of the allocation or responsible agencies tasked with the supervision or monitoring of the projects till completion. Lack of synergised effort at community levels to track and monitor the funds paved the way for persistent abandoned projects or poor implementation of some completed projects.
It is worthy to note that through active advocacy efforts by Udi rightsholders under the aegis of MAMA Centre Accountability for Empowerment (A4E) project supported by VOICE Nigeria, Obinagu livelihood road project has been completed.
Studies have also questioned the degree of interventions at Udi Local Government authority to the aspirations of Udi people and communities for self-reliance and economic advancement, as it is faced with various development difficulties.
Unfortunately, abandoned road projects has had precarious impacts on agricultural activities, women empowerment and development projection of Udi and Enugu state at large. Delay in the completion of abandoned community road projects is one of the most recurring problems facing commercialisation and marketisation of agricultural products in Udi. It has resulted in costly, wastage, risky and undesirable consequences on small-holder famers’ (largely women also breadwinners in households) agricultural productivity.
In many parts of Udi Local Government Area, women and small-holder farmers have been frustrated due to abandoned and inaccessible road conditions, as they hardly interact and synergise among one another. Vehicles owners are in distress as their vehicles are not used optimally. Travelling across wards by road in Udi is a nightmare as the roads are in terrible condition despite the so-called huge expenditure on the reconstruction.
The inability of the government to construct critical roads bugs the mind of regular users, a situation that led to perennial flooding. Environmental pollution and erosion have completely cut off some section of the lanes. In fact, these problems have created embarrassing moments for the road users.
In addition, the deplorable condition have also resulted in many vehicles breaking down on the roads in Udi. Hence, emergency mechanics sprung up at almost every nook and cranny to assist stranded drivers and commuters, sometimes with disastrous consequences.
It is worrisome that the rightsholders and representatives of the community have made zero input during the early stage of budgeting. They also denied understanding the goal of citizens’ participation in the budgetary process.
The existing gaps in the level of knowledge among the rightsholders regarding citizen participation in the budget process and ignorant of the cost implication of livelihood projects in their communities, are indeed worrisome.
For effective implementation of livelihood projects and continuous improvement in budget outcomes, every State Government should develop strategies for communities’ interaction and participation throughout budgetary stages.
Media must intensify coverage and report accurately on budgetary allocation and implementation on livelihood projects in the state, while creating adequate awareness on the socio-economic plights of the rightsholders. Also, the Civil Society groups have the responsibility to engage more with rightsholders on budget accountability through workshops, training programs and other capacity building initiatives.
Kanu, Executive Director of MAMA Centre writes from Abuja.
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