Foundation Charges Anambra People to hold Their Representatives Accountable

By Praise Chinecherem

BudgIT Foundation, a non-profit organization, has charged the people of Okpuno community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State to be alive to the responsibility of holding their elected representatives accountable for the execution of federal projects in their area.

Anambra State Officer for BudgIT Foundation, Ezeugwu Kenneth, gave the charge during a community engagement held as part of the strengthening Institutional Partnership for Anti-corruption campaign and service delivery campaign, supported by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption, (RoLAC) programme.

He said, “This event is to strengthen the relationship between us at the budgIT Foundation and Okpuno community. We go to Communities to Track Federal Government projects whose funds have been disbursed to see if they are executed or not and also access the quality of work done.

“The copy of the publication containing the 2024 Federal Government Constituency projects for the state was shared to participant and they were advised to use the document judiciously in tracking projects awarded in their communities.

“We also track execution of constituency projects with the sole objective of getting value for money. As community members, take it up as your responsibility to track such projects and where you have concerns and worries, get us informed. Our aim is to see all projects well-executed to get value to the people.

“It is important you track the projects because in some places we’ve gone, constituents attach names of politicians representing them to federal government projects or projects paid for were not executed or were poorly done.”

Kenneth further explained that through Town Hall meetings, community could also do a needs assesment which when Identified, BudgIT will guide on how to write their representatives and follow up on such identified needs.

“Apart from identifying the needs of the community, community members can also volunteer as community Champions (dedicated community members) who will work closely with us.

“The project is targeted at fighting corruption by empowering the citizens to demand transparency and accountability from their representatives. You must become interested and start asking the right questions which will put your house of representatives’ member and senator in check.

President General of Okpuno, Luke Egwuatu, in his remarks, said, “Government is all of us. Anything about governance is a collective responsibility and we must speak with one voice so that government and those representing us will know that we are serious. It is wrong for them to bring projects for execution to our community without our knowledge.

Earlier, most of the people in attendance denied knowledge of any on-going flood and erosion control project in their community, which they regretted is being ravaged on every part by erosion.

Some of them including Ugochukwu Okafor, and Edwin Offor, all raised questions about the presence of FG projects in their community. When few ones were identified, the people denied knowledge of some projects while some of them knew some projects by names of their representatives.

In attendance at the meeting were chairmen of all villages in Okpuno or their representatives, who promised to work with the BudgIT foundation to ensure that projects meant to be executed in their community see the light of the day.

The BudgIT foundation’s social media handles were shared with participants who were equally encouraged to follow them to get more information on the activities of the organization.

The President General of the community led the Budget State Officer to two erosion sites at Okochi village Okpuno for which he appealed for urgent government attention.