Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Advocacy for Sustainable Development Initiative (ASDI) and Human Development Initiative (HDI) have collaborated to track the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) projects in 60 schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The CSOs said they would track 20 schools in each of the six area councils of the FCT to ensure that the projects are truly executed and followed the laid down rules and terms of agreement.
Speaking during the training of the facilitators that will monitor the projects in Abuja, the representative of Advocacy For Sustainable Development Initiative (ASDI) Rashid Shuaib said the project is not meant to witch-hunt anybody adding that they only want government to get value for money while the citizens benefit maximally from the dividend of democracy.
“The project is all about tracking UBEC projects across FCT Area Councils. The purpose is to look for value for money. As we all know, the Federal Government after releasing funds, gave a matching order for the execution of the projects.
“So, as CSOs, we need to track this project. How effective is this project at the grassroot? We really want to ensure that the quality of job being done by the contractor across the six area councils meets the terms of agreement.
“This project is going to last for at least six months. We are looking at our area Councils right now. We are looking at 20 schools in each of the area councils. So, we are tracking 60 schools,” Shuaib said during the training.
Also, the representative of Human Development Initiative Foundation, Dr Johnson Ibidapo, said as an organisation empowering the vulnerable, they decided to train the facilitators so that they can be able to monitor and track government projects in their localities.
He said the volunteers have passion for development in their areas adding that they will ensure that contractors execute projects based on terms of agreement adding that where there is a default, they will write a report to the government to sanction the contractors.
“Abuja is the capital city and must lead by example in every area. We want to ensure that the projects that are delivered to schools are of the right quality and quantity.
“So, in essence, what we are doing here today is empowering these local stakeholders who are based in Abuja to be able to hold government contractors accountable and ensure government projects are executed.
“So, we want to hold the government to account by visiting the sites to find out what the government has promised to do and what the contractors are actually doing in real time.
“So, after this training, they’ll go to sites to see for themselves the UBEC projects that have been executed. They will find out what is going on the site if actually the contractors comply with the stipulated action plans. We will then write our report to the government and any defaulting contractor will be punished,” Ibidapo said.
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