Group to probe abandoned constituency projects in Kwara

The provisions of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act will be utilized to investigate the status of pending constituency projects in Kwara State, ensuring transparency and accountability in governance.

At a town hall meeting on Monday, Mr. Kehinde Akinsola, Kwara State Supporting Officer for Project Trust under Connected Development (CODE), lamented the abandonment and non-completion of certain projects tracked by the non-governmental organization.

Akinsola announced plans to use the FOI Act to request information from relevant ministries, departments, and agencies regarding these projects. He explained that CODE, through its Community of Practice (CoP), has monitored three constituency projects across the three senatorial districts of Kwara:

• Kwara North (Lafiagi): Provision of Computer-Based Test (CBT) equipment at the College of Education, Technical, Lafiagi, was completed.
• Kwara Central (Aboto Oja and Laduba): Construction of solar boreholes in Aboto Oja was not carried out, while solar-powered streetlights in Laduba were left unfinished.
• Kwara South (Esie/Iludun): The proposed renovation and equipping of Esie/Iludun Grammar School did not commence.

The town hall meeting aimed to inform stakeholders of the status of these projects under the Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP) initiative and promote collaboration between communities and government. Akinsola emphasized the goal of Project Trust to institutionalize accountability and foster resilience and sustainability in governance.

Community leaders expressed their determination to ensure projects reach completion. Chief Taiwo Ogundipe from Esie commended CODE’s efforts, revealing that the intervention helped the community understand the N100 million allocation for their project. Similarly, Alhaji Adebayo Abdullateef from Aboto Oja pledged the community’s support to push for the project’s completion.

Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi, Chairman of the Kwara Fiscal Responsibility Commission, stressed the need for improved communication between community members and their representatives. He criticized the practice of presenting constituency projects as personal initiatives, often failing to meet acceptable standards.

In addition, Mr. Bashir Yusuf, Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), called for amendments to the Kwara State Disabilities Law. He proposed the appointment of an Executive Secretary with a disability and the establishment of an Office for Disability Affairs under the Governor’s Office to promote inclusion and improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities.

Yakub Yaru, Director of Legislative Matters at the Kwara House of Assembly, assured participants that their concerns and recommendations would be communicated to lawmakers. He pledged that efforts would be made to review and implement the proposed amendments promptly.

This initiative underscores the importance of community engagement and collaboration to ensure the effective execution of public projects and inclusive governance in Kwara State.