By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
Participants at a one day town hall meeting in Lokoja, kogi state, north central Nigeria,have resolved to fast-track the fight against corruption in the country through community participation.
The Reporters reports that the event.was organized by Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC), an NGO on Saturday with support by Mac Arthur Foundation.
In an eleven-point communique signed by ZUBAIR ABDURRAUF IDRIS,Executive Director/Project Manager,WAMAC, the participants identified poor planning on the execution of projects, particularly lack of proper feasibility studies in the design of projects for the abandonment of projects, particularly federal governments road projects in Kogi State.
The Meeting called, therefore, called for regular tracking and monitoring of projects to evaluate the level of compliance and execution to avoid abandonment.
Participants faulted the processes of the award of projects in Kogi state by the Federal government, particularly Abuja-Lokoja dualization projects and Lokoja-Okene-Auchi roads and advocated the release of funds to contractors to Fast-rack completion of the projects.
The Town Hall Meeting frowned at lack of professionalism by agencies of the federal government in formulating Bill of Quantity for project implementation without consultation of stakeholders and beneficiary of the projects.
The communique blamed lack of continuity of projects,by successive governments,and implored all new administrations to ensure completion of projects before embarking on new ones.
The meeting called for immediate action to address the issue of abandoned public infrastructure in Kogi state in order to promote accountability and transparency, through concerted efforts by the institutions and public to break the cycle of corruption.
Participants also.called for active participation of stakeholders in the fight against corruption and mismanagement of public resources as a tool to curtail the challenges in public Infrastructure development in Kogi state.
They advocated continued enforcement of anti-corruption agencies, EFCC and ICPC mandates on preventive measures and enforcement to fight the menace.
The meeting commended the participants and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for their efforts and advocacy in the fight against corruption and urged governments and agencies fighting corruption to be steadfast and hold themselves and governments accountable.
Participants called for reorientation of the society to revive the collapsed FAMILY VALUE SYSTEM, social crimes and other new faces of social corruption retrogressive to development.
The participants also.called for social inclusion for People with Disabilities,PWDs and implementation of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI)
The Town Hall meeting commended GRACE FM Radio, Lokoja, and other media organizations; Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre for their efforts in the fight against corruption.
Our correspondent reports that participant were drawn from the Media, Civil Society Organizations, Trade Unions, Members of the Academia,
People with Disabilities (PWD’s), Community Based Organizations.
Others include; Faith-Based Organizations and as well as anti-Corruption agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and The National Orientation Agency (NOA).
