By Yakubu Salisu, Kano
Resource Centre for human rights and civic education (CHRICED) has faulted the inaccessible attitude of some politicians and public officials who makes it difficult for stakeholders to have access to critical information.
The Executive Director, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullah during a press conference on Tuesday with the theme: Imperative of Citizens-Led Accountability Demands in the Design and Implementation of Constituency Projects in Kano State said such attitude undermine the struggle to ensure accountability in the use of public resources, especially as it pertains to the grassroot level.
“Access to public information to demand accountability remains a herculean task.
“Some public officials deliberately erect obstacles to undermine the right of people to public information and data”.
According to him, the inaccessible and unwilling attitude of such persons to answer constituents’ questions violate section 15 (5) of the amended Nigerian Constitution of 1999 which states that the “State shall abolish all corruption practices and abuse of power”.
He said, CHRICED remains steadfast in enlightening citizens to remain undaunted in the struggle to ensure accountability in the use of public resources as the Centre engages in high level advocacy with pubic officers and politicians with the view to overcome the the obstacles.
Zikirullah, revealed that since the inception of it’s project of promoting community-driven anti-corruption initiative in the state, the project team has been in communities across the 44 local government areas of of Kano since January 2021.
“We have been vigorously engaging citizens at the grassroots, reaching out to public office holders and other critical stakeholders.
“We have been achieving these through community enlightenment workshops, accountability report back session, stakeholders consultative meetings”
Others are; “advocacies, and the dissemination of information, education and communication (IEC) materials, these has promoted transparency and increased citizen participation and inclusion in the State’s Constituency project planing and Implementation process”, he added.
Further more, Ibrahim noted that as part of strategy to equip critical stakeholders with skills to hold public officials accountable for the use of public funds for Constituency Projects, 263 participants from 37 L.G.As of the state where trained during 8 community enlightenment workshops this, is in addition to the training of 70 media practitioners and CSOs to help boost their capacity for investigating and reporting issues of Constituency Projects.
He charge the people of Kano, media civil society organizations, community based organizations and other key stakeholders to rise to the occasion and ensure that the Constituency Project value chain in Kano is transparent and accountable.
“Citizens must exert pressure on politicians and public officials to fulfill their responsibilities as duty bearers for this to be realized”, Ibrahim charged.