By Anthony Maliki
Jemaa Community Development Stakeholders in Jemaa Local Government Area of Kaduna State has advocated for a multi- stakeholder engagement on the Kafanchan Urban Renewal Roads Projects with the implementing agency and other relevant MDAs of government involved in the project.
It also resolved to seek the release of all contractual documents useful for effective tracking, monitoring and evaluation to ensure quality delivery and ownership of the project by citizens in line with the Open Government Partnership, OGP commitment on open contracting.
This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of the stakeholders held recently at the Jemaa Local Government Council Chambers in Kafanchan to strategize on how to effectively engage with Kaduna State Roads Agency, (KADRA) towards tracking the ongoing Kafanchan Urban Renewal Project.
The communique signed by its drafting Committee Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi B. Zailani and Secretary, Ambassador Godwin Kumai Akau said the advocacy which was made in collaboration with Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development, CALPED observed that there has been no community engagement concerning the Urban Renewal project in Kafanchan despite the commitments of the Kaduna Open Government Partnership, (OGP), which ought to help improve citizenship participation, perception and ownership in governance.
While the project is being implemented, the Stakeholders observed that there is no sign post or any specific information concerning the contract on the site, which further leaves community members in the dark concerning the project.
The Community Development Stakeholders also noted that work commenced on 27 November, 2020 and till date citizens’ groups are not able to track, monitor and evaluate progress of the road project.
The Stakeholders said the commitment of the Kaduna State Government to State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability, SFTAS program ought to have enabled community engagement, and consideration of requests for partnership to monitor or track the implementation of the urban renewal with citizens’ groups.
It added that efforts to hold a community engagement concerning the Urban Renewal Project was not successful because the state government agencies and organizations including Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission, Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority and Kaduna State Roads Agency were not in attendance.
The Stakeholders advocated for an appreciable quota for local content to improve the level of skills, talents and quality of labour in Jemaa Local Government and its environs.
They then called on relevant authorities to give considerations to the communiqué while they awaits quick response.
