By Golok Nanmwa
Connected Development (CODE) a Non Governmental Organisation has sensitised community leaders and critical stakeholders in Plateau on ways of tracking government projects and spending.
Mr. Preston Obadan, the North-Central Coordinator of the organisation said the training executed under the project tagged “Follow the Money”, aimed at reducing corruption and ensure transparency and accountability within the government circle.
According to him, the exercise would equip participants who are critical stakeholders at their various communities with the requisite knowledge on how to demand good governance from their representatives.
“CODE is a non-profit organisation establish to educate and provide necessary information and data to people at the rural communities on how to tract government projects.
“The essence is to ensure transparency, accountability and good governance in our system.
“So, the aim of today’s exercise is to train community leaders and other critical stakeholders on how to go about tracking government projects because we need communities to begin to get involved in the running of government business.
“People at the rural levels must begin to ask questions on how government implements its budget and other expenditures,” he said.
Obadan explained that the idea was not to witch-hunt government or incite people against it, but it aimed at ensuring the right things were done when it comes to executing government projects.
The coordinator explained that CODE is currently working in the Education, Health, and water, hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) sectors.
The training sponsored by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), had participants from seven communities in Jos South, Jos North, Langtang North and Kanke local government areas of Plateau state.
