Edo deputy governor attributes poor projects execution to political cronies

The resultant effect of awarding contracts to political cronies rather than professionals has been described as reason for several abandoned and poor projects execution in the country.

Edo State deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shuaibu, disclosed this at event put up by Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) in conjunction with the Leadership Initiative for Transformation and Empowerment (LITE-Africa) at the Niger Delta Learning Forum held in Benin City.

Comrade Shaibu, represented by Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Demian Lawani, said until citizens start asking questions and holding their leaders accountable, the problem will remain unabated.

He remarked that people have the right to be involved in the projects executed in their communities.

“The challenge confronting the people in the oil producing communities is that they are not always placed in the know of any projects being sited in their communities thereby leading to the citing of projects that are not needed by them.

“The current administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state led by Mr. Godwin Obaseki has changed the status quo by ensuring that contracts are bidded for and given to professionals with the people in focus,” he stated.

Moreover, on the part of capacity building, manager of Partnership Initiative for the Niger Delta (PIND), Mrs. Bose Eitokpah, said the forum would enable them to discuss and appreciate the progress made so far and thus help them to reflect on how they can work more collaboratively together to sustain the gains of Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE).

Also speaking, the representative of USAID, Charles Abani said the non governmental organizations have the duty to support and commend government when doing what is right.

He said the USAID is willing to partner government in the delivering of the dividends of democracies to the people living in the oil rich communities across the country.

Earlier, the Executive Director, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor in his speech entitled “Participatory and Responsive Governance for Sustainable Development in the Niger Delta” said the collaboration between ANEEJ/LITE-Africa as well as the cluster model approach involving other organizations in the region has made it possible to measure the impact of Niger Delta Institutions (NDIs) projects and ranking of the Niger Delta Institutions from both the community and the institutional perspectives.

Ugolor said ANEEJ and LITE-Africa have been able to train independent civil society groups in the area of project monitoring adding that such has led to the successful monitoring of 237 projects in the Niger Delta region.

He lamented the high poverty rates in the region despite the huge resources flowing to the region through monthly allocation to the states since the return of democratic rule in 1999.