2023 Budget: Ikono, Obot Akara LGAs Prioritise Provision of Toilet Facilities, Grading of Rural Roads
By Ekemini Simon
Stakeholders of Ikono and Obot Akara local government areas have demanded for toilet facilities and grading of rural roads as priority projects that should be included in the 2023 budget of their councils.
The two local government areas made their needs known in the Community Charter of Demand (CCD) during the 2023 budget consultation meeting with select local government stakeholders in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State.
The consultation meeting held by State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness (State2State) Activity, a project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District which took place on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 in Ikot Ekpene had stakeholders from Ikono, and Obot Akara local government areas.
The stakeholders included local government councilors, executives and staff of the local government, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and the civil society organisations.
In a Community Charter of Demand (CCD) presented by Obot Akara local government area after consultations with community members during needs assessment, rural road grading, provision of toilet facilities at public places, and market development topped the list of their demands.
Other provisions they asked should be included in the 2023 local government budgets are provision of skills acquisition centres, training and empowerment of people living with disabilities.
For Ikono local government area, top of the prioritised projects listed in their Community Charter of Demand (CCD) are renovation of primary schools; provision of desks, furniture and writing material.
They also demanded provision of toilet and water facilities in public places especially schools, markets and Primary Healthcare facilities.
Others are grading of community roads, completion and renovation of primary healthcare centres and provision of skills acquisition centres in three zones of Ikono.
In his welcome remarks, the State Team Lead (STL) of the Activity, Mr. Borve Paago-Imabel noted that State2State in collaboration with the Akwa Ibom State Fiscal Responsibility Board, is holding a 3-day consultative meeting with key LGA/Community groups across the 3 senatorial district of the State to collate inputs, so as to ensure that citizens voices and community needs are captured in the 2023 State and LGA Budgets as appropriated.
Represented by Dr. Iboro Nelson, the State Team Lead said the government is only holding power in trust for the people, hence what is contained in the budget should be what the citizens really want.
The State Team Lead stated ” The citizens are actually the ones who own the power on what goes into the budget. We must understand that the government holds power in trust for the people.
“We are very proud to have assisted the State to develop a budget manual which gives insight into the budget process. This includes the time and how the process takes place. We thank the Government of Akwa Ibom State for embracing reforms and hope that more will come.”
He added that while State2State will continue to work with the government for improved reforms, they will not let up in energizing the citizens to hold the government to account.
Paago-Imabel charged the councilors and the citizens in these communities to be active in demanding the projects their need are implemented
He said ” The same way the government knows the road to bring election material to you, insist that development gets to you the same way.
” To the Councilors, the same vigour you use for your Chairman to pay you your entitlements, use the same for the implementation of these projects demanded as key needs by the people.”
In his reaction, Vice Chairman of Ikono local government council, Simeon Uyanga thanked State2State for the opportunity given to the grassroots to have a say in the budget process.
He assured that the Ikono local government council will take the projects demanded by the citizens seriously and ensure they are provided in line with the available resources.
Also speaking, a stakeholder from Obot Akara, Kufre Ukpong said the Community Charter of Demand (CCD) presented by both local government areas reflect the plight of communities at the grassroots.
He called for the abolition of Local Government Joint Account stressing that only that will free funds to the local government areas for the execution of projects that will bear impact on the grassroots.
Meanwhile, the seven focal local government areas of State2State Activity in Akwa Ibom State are Uyo, Itu, Ibesikpo Asutan, Ikono, Obot Akara, Oron and Onna.