By Abdulmumin Murtala
In a new wave of budget tracking to see to the execution of projects meant for communities in Kano, village heads now monitor budgets and ensure the proper execution of such projects in their respective communities.
Speaking to Vanguard at a reflection meeting on budget and project monitoring recently, the village head of Gandun Albasa community under Kano municipal local government area stated that they have formed committees in their constituencies made up of community based organizations with which they partner with civil society organizations and other stakeholders to track budgets and see to the proper execution of those meant for them.
“The major way with which we assist the communities is through the tracking of budgetary allocations meant for our various communities to ensure the projects are executed accordingly”, he stated.
He explained that they involve their legislators and local government chairmen who they follow up on projects to ensure proper implementation so that people can benefit from the dividend of democracy at community levels.
Commenting on the event, Mr Jibrin Aliyu Giginyu, the executive officer in-charge of the Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL), which is in partnership with the DFID and UK aid from the British People said that it was a reflection meeting with village heads from four local government areas in Kano. A similar event was held five months ago where the community heads were trained on how to partner with community based organizations and civil society organizations towards monitoring budgetary allocations in their constituencies.
He said “They were trained on how to partner with community based organizations and civil society organizations towards monitoring budgetary allocations in their constituencies and ensuring that government projects are executed at the appropriate manner.”
Counting successes achieved in the local governments so far, he said it was tremendous as the village heads under their committees put watchful eyes on anything budgeted for them and this has greatly reduced the low quality of execution of government projects in their communities.
He said many projects have so far been executed in their communities as a result of the advocacy.
No fewer than 200 village heads from four local government areas of the state were in attendance at the meeting.