Niger State government has introduced a project implementation concept? known as the Ward Development Projects where each of the 274 wards in the state is given N1 million every month to execute any project of its choosing. In this interview with ABU NMODU, the Commissioner of Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Garba Yusuf Tagwai, says the programme is achieving the desired? results.
The Ward Development Project in Niger State is a new idea that government says is yielding result in the state. How did this concept? come about?
Sometimes I wonder when people say we have not done anything. We have 274 wards in Niger State, at the end of every month we give them money and ensure that every ward feels the impact of government, before it was N500,000 per month. Now, we give every ward N1million to execute a project of their choice. If it is borehole they want to do,? Ok. Or is it the gutter that they? want to evacuate – it is their? choice.
Just let? people? know that they have implemented the project so that at the end of every month, every ward in Niger State has a feel of government; that is the idea.? This? is an idea from the governor and other states come here to borrow the blueprint of how we are doing it here. I? think I have hosted? about? three states that have come to my office to under study the idea, and I think that? it is a very welcome development.
Just about two month ago, you released N3 million to each of the wards; have you followed up to know how this money is being used?
Yes, you know, there was a break in the payment,? and like I told you, during those breaks we were putting this money aside. We gave every ward N3million – that just for three months. Two? days ago, we gave every local government a vehicle for monitoring.
We are supposed to get the result of the projects for those three months, but the local government have not finished spending their money, and we are thinking that, by the end of next? month, they would? bring the result of what they have done with those funds so that they can get? more? for the wards. The money is there? for them.
Can you tell me how many projects have so far been executed all over the state since? the commencement of the programme?
I cannot give you off hand, but I promised the public that they will soon know about them by the time we complete the compilation of the report of all the projects we have in the wards. Very soon.
Which areas of developmental do the project focus on?
You don’t expect people to need the same thing at the same time. Some will say their need is dispensary; in fact, there are some that say they want to repair their mosque, and we allow them. It’s not for government to say ‘you must do this or do that’. No. Whatever you want to do, is what you do.
That means government does not impose any project on the people?
We don’t impose it; they tell us what they want to do. The only thing is that, before any project, we have to approve it. By the time we are monitoring, we will ensure it is the project they indicated they had built. If you want to change from what you gave us, you have to get our approval.
What informed the increase because I know it started with N500,000?
Because we saw the impact of the projects, then we decided to increase this money to at least one million naira. So, the state is working;?? our wards are working; the local government is working, and then development will reach every nook and cranny. We achieving the participatory development strategy we intended, and this, indeed, enhances participatory democracy too.
How do you constitute Ward Development committees?
We just say go and choose people that you trust, that can deliver these projects to you, and then appoint a coordinator. After appointing the coordinator who must be a civil servant – because we don’t want to give the money to the ward chairmen.?
And we said this is not a political issue.? Anywhere? PDP or any party has a councillor, automatically he becomes the? secretary, irrespective of party affiliations. That is why we chose civil servants as coordinators. We try to remove this programme from polities because we want to help the communities with their needs.
Projects that are communitybased should have attracted development partners; have you received any help from anywhere?
Not yet, but the development partners have tried to talk to us. We talk to development partners to try come to our aid, to put in something and they are? very? interested. You know, development partners? have at least four years plan for a state; they can’t go beyond? that. They can’t introduce a programme that is not on their? budget, but as times goes on, they may be interested considering the results so far.
What have you people done to institutionalize this programme?
The bill has been passed in the state Assembly, so whoever is coming after this administration will continue. And that is why the bill was passed? – so that this programme will stay and have legal framework to operate. If the person coming after this administration wants to do anything different on this programme, the person must go back to the House of Assembly.
How far on joint projects with the councils?
Yes, I will tell you. You see, we have State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), MDGs? and I know how much? SUBEB has done in local government areas. Local governments,? too, get their capital funds? to do their projects. At all levels, local governments? have participated. They fund their own development; they contribute to? MDGs and other projects they deem fit.
What about the 10 kilometre roads?
The 10km road in each of the local government was consummated and the bill was about N8 billion, but the consultant that did the bill didn’t do a thorough job and there was a problem. It was inside that bill we took money to do another project. The initial plan was for? the state to do the road, but the state left it for the local government councils because? they are local government roads.
Now, it is a completely local government affair. So far, we have spent nearly N4 billion on it. If you go round, whatever you see will give you the cost? we have spent. There was a break,? because? of absence of fund and rain, but now if you? go to all local governments,? they are in charge.
When I went on tour of some local governments, some contracts? were revoked because they are not doing a good job. They are in the processes of re- awarding them, but I can assure you that few of them have gone far – like the one in Kontagora where over 90% completion has been attained
You went on tour of the local government areas, what are your views on what you saw on the ground?
People are happy. What I went?? for was to inaugurate the local government working committees of Ward Development Projects. When I went there, there were local governments that have, for example, 10 wards. I told them we are giving them? N30 million, and? they screamed.? I said yes, N3 million per ward. They couldn’t believe I am bringing N30 million to the wards .
The? day I went to Shiroro, I said? we were giving? them N45 million,? and I said if you put N45 million in the wards of this local government, you will see changes, and they were extremely happy. They had not seen this thing done like this before.
Monitoring has always been the problem of the local governments; how do you monitor the council chairmen?
It’s not me that is monitoring local government chairmen; they took oath. But the governor said you are voted for your local government, you must live in your local government.
And I put committee in place that is monitoring that, and, so far, even those that were not living? in the areas before are now living in their local governments. If you don’t live in your local government and if there is problem, who do you report to? But I am happy to tell you that things are progressing.
Parks and markets are the responsibilities of councils but, today, it is a problem; any plan underway?
Last week, I went to the infrastructural bank which actually intends to come and partner with us to do the patch. Any time you are going to Abuja on market day in Lambata, the market is there, the Mosque is there, the? Bank is there, there? is always a confusion, and we are looking at it to see that before the end? of this year, something is done about that part. Before 2015, I want us to have done about? four parks. We want to expand, by the grace of God.
How do you relate with the traditional councils?
The?? government? and the traditional council have mutual respect for each other. The traditional rulers are our fathers; they are the custodian of our culture – the culture of our people, and we respect them. There is no decision? that the government has taken that the traditional council would not be consulted. What we do in Niger State has to do with everybody.
Whatever we do, we consult them for their advice. Where we see that we can work together, we work together. We give them their? respect and they give us? ours, too. You can’t achieve much without working with traditional council. That is why we work with them closely.
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