CSOs URGE GOVERNMENT TO INVOLVE COMMUNITIES IN PROJECT’S SELECTION

CSOs URGE GOVERNMENT TO INVOLVE COMMUNITIES IN PROJECT’S SELECTION

The Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Zamfara State have advised governments at all levels, to adopt the policy of always involving communities in the selection of projects, to forestall misplacement of priorities.

Executive Director, Zamfara-based CSO, Voluntary Aid Initiative (VAI), Mr. Musa Aboki, gave the advice in Gusau, on Saturday, at a session on Project Monitoring, Information sharing with stakeholders.

The VMTNews reports that the session was jointly organized by the Join Future Hope Foundation, Voluntary Aid Initiative, Life Helpers Initiative and Millennium Development Center in partnership with Women Environmental Program Abuja.

Read Also: Ramadan: NGO Procures Assorted Food For Distribution To 10,000…

Aboki said many projects were abandoned in Zamfara, while others had been appearing repeatedly in annual budgets of both the federal and state governments.

According to him, the CSOs had selected and monitored Federal and state governments projects that have direct impact on women and girls, to ensure their implementation based on the budgets.

Mr. Aboki, who lamented over some abundant projects and repetition of same projects in annual budgets, said this called for communities to be fully informed about any projects meant for them and full public disclosure about the projects for transparency and accountability.

On his part, the Zamfara state Commissioner for information, Mr. Ibrahim Dosara, who chaired the session, called on the CSOs to always work with the supervising MDAs for proper guidance and accurate information about the projects, while commending them for organising the session to balance their reports.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Habib Yelwa explained that, some of the projects in question had been completed, but in different locations for some obvious reasons, and called on the CSOs to pay visits to the sites.

Also speaking, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Lawal, revealed that the state government was working to ensure compatibility of the projects with women and children’s needs, with a special consideration for people living with disabilities.

Many stakeholders who graced the occasion commended the CSOs for engaging governments to stand up to their responsibilities for a better Nigeria.

CSOs URGE GOVERNMENT TO INVOLVE COMMUNITIES IN PROJECT’S SELECTION