Nine in 10 communities unaware of budgets, local projects – Tracka

In an interview with Daily Trust, Agunloye Tolutope, Project Manager, Tracka said the constant reoccurrence of capital projects that are listed in budgets yet end up not being executed gave birth to a new tool from BudgIT known as Tracka. “Residents are usually surprised to learn of the existence in the Budget and in all […]

In an interview with Daily Trust, Agunloye Tolutope, Project Manager, Tracka said the constant reoccurrence of capital projects that are listed in budgets yet end up not being executed gave birth to a new tool from BudgIT known as Tracka.
“Residents are usually surprised to learn of the existence in the Budget and in all cases, they are usually shocked to learn of the large amount of money allocated for the completion of these projects. At the same time, one could not blame the people; they need information, to be able to give feedback,” she added.
Tracka started in 2013 by examining the federal projects in Osun State, and the enthusiasm of citizens who wanted to be involved in monitoring developmental projects in their own backyards ensured that Tracka was formally launched in June 2014.
Since then, the Tracka team has tracked over 300 projects, and has resident Principal Field officers in Anambra, Cross River, Edo, Kano, Kebbi and Ogun States working to monitor all Federal Government Constituency projects. The field officers also arrange town hall meetings with community members to enlighten them on projects within their constituencies. Presently, Tracka is working on all Lagos state capital projects in 2013 and 2014 and on Gender projects in Delta, Ogun, Imo, FCT, Kano, Kaduna and Gombe States.
Tracka notably investigated a N20 million school project called “Construction of 3 classrooms blocks at Community Primary School, Iwoye-Ilogbo, Ilogbo, Ado Odo/Otta LGA, Ogun West Senatorial District, Ogun State.” Listed in the budget under the UN Millennium Development Goals, the school was not built until Tracka held an “Advocacy” town hall meeting with Iwoye – Ilogbo people. The team helped affected residents write and sign letters of appeal. The letters were sent to the community’s representative in the National Assembly – Senator Akin Babalola Kamar Odunsi, Hon. Ogunlola Babatunde Olabode as well as to the Ministry of Special Duties and the Ministry of Education & Presidency (MDGs).
Mr. Agunloye Tolutope explained that: “The Tracka team placed weekly calls to Senator Odunsi. We also engaged with Nigerian citizens by tweeting the project(s) via @trackaNG.” A few weeks later, construction of the school began in Ilogbo, Ogun State.
Tracka also tracked a water project called “Provision of 2 Nos of Motorized borehole equipped with solar pump (deep sedimentary) in Uokha, Owan East LGA, Edo State,” under the Ministry of Water Resources. Again, the project was not executed until the Tracka team wrote to Hon. Iriase P.I Obokhuaime, Senator Obende Domingo Alaba and the Ministry of Water Resources. The story is the same in Usumutong in Calabar, Cross River State; the community can now boast of a motorable road after a lot of publicity and advocacy by Tracka brought attention to their plight.
Most recently, in Kebbi State, N9million was budgeted for the provision of classrooms at Madarasatu Liyau Sunna Danwari, Aliero LGAs but nothing was done. After Tracka held a town-hall meeting with the people ans wrote letters to Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and Hon. Halilu Aliero Umar, building has now started on the school, and Tracka is monitoring its progress.  
Reports state that, according to budgets released so far, 31 States and the Federal government will spend at least N3.342 trillion (47.63 per cent of their collective budget) on capital projects. Mr. Agunloye Tolutope admits that this translates to more items for the Tracka team to monitor, and a need for more alert citizens ready to keep government at all levels on their toes.
“No matter how uniformed they first were, it is constant that the communities feel grateful of the attention and intervention of BudgIT. They are usually eager to do the actions required to assist them ensure the projects are completed in time,” he concluded.