2022 Citizens’ Accountability Report: Gombe delivers two out of 10 projects, six ongoing
…… two yet to commence
……. participants laud Gov Yahaya on sustainability of reforms
By Chima Azubuike
Out of 10 projects requested by the citizens of Gombe State, no fewer than six are currently ongoing, while two have been completed, two others are yet to be mobilised.
Disclosing this on Thursday at Gombe Local Government council chamber, venue of Citizens’ Accountability Report, consultative meeting for North senatorial district on 2022 audited financial report, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Abubakar Gadam, blamed limited resources as reason work was yet to commence on the enlisted projects.
Our correspondent reports that the CAR was organised by Jewel Health and Development Initiative in collaboration with Gombe State Ministry of Finance and Economic Development with participants drawn from Persons With Disabilities, relevant groups, Civil Society Organisations.
Some of the projects suggested by the citizens include Construction of Kuri-Nono road; Reconstruction of GDSS Akkoyel, in Kumo, Akko LGA, Electrification projects in Nasarawa Labidin communities and environs in Billiri LGA.
Others are; Renovation of Jauro Musa Primary School, Gully erosion control in Deba, Construction of Kamo-Datuma-Shenge-Shenge road, Construction of Banguge-Dadiya road, Completion of industrial park and Dadin-kowa dam hydro electric project.
Gadam, who was represented by Director Final Account Mohammed Kulani, said the current administration under the leadership of Muhammadu Yahaya, prioritises the needs of the people, adding that the consultative meeting is a recognised international best practice that allows citizens to be carried along.
He said, “We are here to engage with citizens on the audited account of 2022. This is an abridged form of financial report of the state government. It mostly use pictures, graphs and tables to explain to citizens about what is in the detailed report. It’s a summary of activities of government ranging from receipt and payment whereby citizens can vividly see and understand what transpired in the 2022 fiscal year.
“We gathered the citizens so that they can be able to see what happened as far as financial reporting is concerned. They are to know the revenue that came to government and composition of the expenditure whether it’s recurrent or capital as well as projects they (citizens) nominated they want government to do for them. Out of ten projects nominated by the citizens, six are ongoing, two are completed, and two are yet to start.”
Speaking on why the two projects are yet to start, Gadam added, “You know government activities is based on the availability of funds and as such government prioritises its activities according to most needed the two yet to start is not because government doesn’t want to do do it but as a result of paucity of funds.”
Also, The United States Agency for International Development, State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness, State2State Activity, State Team Lead, Mohammed Bello-Abubakar, who was represented by Public Financial Management Specialist, Oluwatosin Oke, lauded the state government for its efforts, stressing that the collaboration shows the current administration’s deliberate attempt to engage citizens.
Bello-Abubakar said, “Citizens’ Accountability Report is a very important document or process beyond the document which shows how ready the state to open its activities to say you have trusted in the last one year, we have generated revenue, we requested for taxes, we have collected Federal allocation. It good to see reforms sustained and even and be taken to the next stage. We have states that started reforms under States Financial Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability but are no longer doing the reform but in Gombe we are happy and we can testify to the fact that reforms are being sustained.”
He implored participants to be steadfast adding, “lets not have these efforts to waste because the document has been produced now we are meeting, it goes beyond this meeting. So, beyond this presentation let collaborate further look at what government said it has spent, what it spent on and go to the field to see what has been him they are quality, give feedback to the respective agencies of government. Government has limitation of resources, they can’t be everywhere, it needs your help, support and collaboration to ensure that there is value for money.
While expressing support for the process, the STL said “We are ready to support the process, we are a friend of the state, friend of local governments in the state, friend of Civil Society Organisations in the state we will continue to support to ensure that all the various reforms started are sustained and we continue to achieve results.”
On his part, Executive Director, Abubakar Abdullahi-Husain, explained that the Citizens’ Accountability Report was ongoing across other senatorial districts in Gombe South, Gombe Central, and Gombe North.
According to him, participants have been able to understand what government spending is all about, adding that government has done well in terms budgeting and performance.
Abdullahi-Husain said, “We have seen that based on what they presented budget released and performance is around 97 per cent which is a remarkable achievement by the government.
“The stakeholders were able to understand that government is focused on achieving things that affects them directly because some of the activities presented by the people and government captured them and government made them its priority and people are excited with the ways and manner governments spendings are utilised.”
He urged government to continue to listen to the needs of citizens, “as well as increase its revenue in order to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people. Security should be paramount where there is no security there will be problem inline with it development agenda,” the Executive Director added.
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