The Elite Network for Sustainable Development (ENETSUD) has said government appropriation and spending associated with budgets in Kwara State are not products of research.
ENETSUD Deputy Coordinator (Projects Tracking), Comrade Lanre Osho, made the allegation this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth N26.5m with a Kwara-based Non-governmental Organization, Gobir Organization Foundation (GOF).
He said the development has lead to a situation where the public fund is not sufficiently working for the taxpayers.
The event was held at the Correspondents chapel of the Kwara NUJ.
Osho, who revealed that N10m has so far been received from GOF, said the deal will enhance it’s Citizens Enlightenment and Mobilization Program (CEMP) across the 193 wards of the 16 LGAs in the State.
According to him, “Government appropriation and spending through the budgets are not products of well-researched needs assessment in most cases, leading to a situation where the public fund is not sufficiently working for the taxpayers.
“Our observations triggered the design of CEMP which has needs assessment of Kwara communities one of its activities”, he added.
Fatima Bintu Dikko, Ag. Director of Community Services, ENetSuD, said its recently launched anti-corruption app which is currently being used by citizens, will provide them opportunity to take their destiny into their hands.
“We will practice what we preach. Every kobo received from GOF and spent on these projects will be properly accounted for. We track government. We are also ready to be tracked. We dig, and we are ready to be dug”, she added.
In his remarks, chairman of the GOF, Alhaji Waziri Yakubu Gobir, said CEMP aligned with its vision of providing data-backed solutions to our local problems.
“The most crucial component of philanthropy of any kind is not only delivering it to intended beneficiaries; but also ensuring that the aid being rendered is proportional to their needs at every point in time.
“This concept of contextual social investment is one that must be prioritized in Kwara State and Nigeria as a whole”, he added.
