From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Mixed feelings are trailing the execution of the N20 million Governor Willie Obiano largesse tagged, Choose-your-project fund made available to 178 communities in the state.
The projects are parts of the governor’s efforts to reach the grassroots.
At a recent meeting to share experiences and reports on the success stories and challenges, the Justice Development, Peace Caritas (JDPC) and Voice to the People (V2P), Nnewi, Anambra State, addressed representatives of the various communities also known as Community Based Monitors (CBM) who spoke on their satisfactions and disappointments on the projects carried out in their towns and respective communities.
Mr. Augustine Agwuncha, an engineer from Utu community in Nnewi South Local Government Area, disclosed that work was still ongoing on the projects chosen by his community namely Willie Obiano Model Plaza, Fencing of Utu Primary School and sinking of a borehole.
Agwuncha, however, called on the Anambra State government to pay attention to some power drunk town union leaders who, he said, were averse to contrary views over the projects they were carrying out in their communities. He urged the government to monitor closely how they were using the funds.
“It is not enough releasing money to the communities; they should be monitored to ensure that the money was spent on the projects for which the money was collected. Some Presidents-General have become so power drunk that they do not respect their town traditional rulers, the Igwe and Ezes, and they do not listen to any constructive criticism or advice from anybody. Most of them threaten fire and brime stone against anybody that opposes their views, including the traditional rulers,” he said.
Mrs Ezeani from Amichi, in her progress report, told the members of JDPC CBM, that some presidents-general of the various communities were using the project to cause trouble in their communities, adding that they sited the projects on the land of their perceived enemies, ignoring the land provided by their traditional rulers only to invite the police to intimidate and arrest any opposition to their actions.
She cited the case of her husband who was arrested and detained by the police in the state until her children went to police to the Force headquarters, Abuja to reverse the case against those who wanted to humiliate her husband.
She alleged that some presidents-general had subdued and relegated their traditional rulers to the point that they go as far as sponsoring opposition to dethrone or unseat weak traditional rulers who might not have the financial muscle to confront them.
She noted that part of the N20 million given for execution of projects by the governor was in some cases used to make trouble in such towns and called for urgent government monitoring and intervention in communities having such problems.
Her words: “The government knows such communities. But you know the governorship election in the state will soon come. State government seems to be careful with them. But we know that after the election, these power drunk presidents-general and town union leaders will go. The governor should not leave them to continue what they are doing because most of them cannot win election for him in their communities. Something should be done about it without further delay before they destroy the existing peace in the communities.”
However, for Ezinifite Nnewi community, it was a different story as the community has completed the building of a hospital, painted it and was waiting for government to commission it.
The community said it was also considering building nurses’ quarters as an addition to the completed project.
Osumenyi also in Nnewi South is equally singing songs of praises as the community had embarked upon building a 20-bed hospital project, a mortuary and toilet in the community market square.
It, however, complained about the N10 million earlier released by the former Governor Peter Obi’s administration for the renovation of Osumenyi Boys Secondary School, which account was allegedly not rendered.
The CBM for Azigbo also in Nnewi South disclosed that 20 lock up shops worth N9 million was built from the community’s own money and that the remaining was being used to roof the community’s over 20 years abandoned town hall.
For Ichida community in Idemili South Local Government Local Government, the CBM for JDPC said the community was using its own money to build three bedroom bungalow doctors’ quarters just as the president general has been told to render account of work so far done.
However, for the people of Ezinifite in Aguata Local Government Area, the CBM for JDPC, Mr Joe Ezenwajiaku who said that he was satisfied with what the leadership of the town was doing disclosed that the community was building 20 lock-up shops and 40 open market stalls, adding that work was still in progress.
The Amesi community also in Aguata council area, according to Mr Cyracus Igbokwe, had completed its 30 lock-up shops, up and down, which had been painted, while in Nneni town, the community has completed and handed over a storey building school of 10 classroom blocks.
For Igboukwu community in Aguata council area, the projects proposed are rural electrification, health center and nurses quarters.
But, according to the JDPC CBM, none of the projects has been started due to some hitches which are said to have been resolved and approval for the sites given.
Mrs Kate Okafor who is the JDPC community based monitor for Ichi in Ekwusigo council area, told the meeting that a skill acquisition centre for the youths was still under construction in the community, while in Oraifite, also in the same council, the story was in the negative.
Mrs Theresa Obi who is the JDPC community based monitor in Oraifite disclosed that her community was yet to start any project, saying “in fact, we have not started in my community, they said that they will do water project and some of us wonder what we need water project for in Oraifite when water is everywhere in the town.
“They have not even got their own money. The former president general never communicated with the women in Oraifite, even when he was the chairman of Anambra State Association of Town Unions, ASATU, we hope that the new president general will carry us along.”
For Ozubulu community, Mr George Ejiofor, who is the community based monitor for JDPC said they were carrying out a market project in their community, while Mrs Chinyere Okoye from Oraeri town said their own project was a civic centre project that is still ongoing.
Mr Robert Okoli from Umuona in Aguata Coiuncil area, said they were constructing a storey building of 10 classroom blocks at the Community Secondary School, Umuona.
However, when questions were raised on whether the projects most of the communities were embarking upon and the ones completed by the communities, were commensurate with the money released by the state government, the majority of the community based monitors and other participants from various communities expressed dissatisfaction, saying that the projects were not worth the money.
But they could not do anything because their town union leaders refused to render accounts; instead they referred them to the government for explanations.
Speaking shortly after the quarterly review meeting, JDPC, Programme Manager for Catholic Diocese of Nnewi, Mrs Ugochi Ehiahurike, said that they were delighted with the level of commitment of the CBMs, and the passionate attitudes they had shown towards ongoing projects in their variuos communities.
She regretted that a lot of people shied away from projects and developmental efforts being carried out in the communities.
“What the CBMs are doing is ensuring that dividends of democracy and good governance reach their people at their own level and we are delighted with their efforts. Training given to them by JDPC is not a wasted one. They are working for JDPC and they make good use of the knowledge we have imparted on them and the reports they have given us must be followed to the letters.
“We build their capacity by giving them training on power analysis, project monitoring, project implementation, project development, project tracking, project participation and facilitation. We also educate them on charters of demand, which is an engagement tool that we have given them and even the government of the state is also using it. The state government is even encouraging us to visit the communities in the state and impart them with the knowledge.
“We are aware that some fraudulent people who are handling these projects will not be happy with some of the things that have been exposed by the reports of the CBMs; we have equally given the monitors training on security issues and Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR). We urge them to report to JDPC anytime they feel threatened, based on the things they reveal and exposed through their monitoring of projects and assignments.
“We train them to be cautions of what they do and what they say in public, and told them that they do not need to go and engage in fighting or quarreling with anybody, while doing their jobs. We believe in dialogue and ADR approach that is why so far we have not recorded any harm against our monitors. In designing our programme, we look at the risks and how to mitigate those risks,” she said.