Onna, Oron Stakeholders Outline Priority Projects for 2023 Budget 

By Ekemini Simon

Stakeholders in Onna and Oron local government areas of Akwa Ibom State have outlined priority projects they want included in the 2023 budget of their councils.

The projects outlined range from provision of sanitary facilities in public places to grading of rural roads.

The two local government areas made their 2023 budget demands known on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 in the Community Charter of Demand (CCD) during the 2023 budget consultation meeting with select stakeholders from the two 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.

State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness (State2State) Activity, a project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) which is the convener of the consultation meeting, is holding the consultation across the three senatorial districts of the State.

The Community Charter of Demand (CCD) presented by Oron local government area after consultations with community members during needs assessment included grading of local community roads, building of sanitary facilities in schools, markets, primary healthcare centres and motor parks as top two projects.

Others that followed in their hierarchy are construction of primary healthcare centres, construction and renovation of local markets and skill acquisition for women and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

The top two priotised projects in Onna local government area are grading of roads, and provision of desks and writing materials in schools. 

Others are provision of security personnel in schools, provision of boreholes and toilet facilities in schools and primary healthcare facilities and the renovation of primary healthcare centres.

In his welcome remarks, the State Team Lead (STL) of the Activity, Mr. Borve Paago-Imabel noted that the facilitation of the consultation meeting by State2State was a gesture to foster democratic ideals and development at the grassroots.

Represented by Dr. Iboro Nelson, the State Team Lead said democratic ideals revolve around the people hence it was imperative for the people at the third tier of government to take active participation in determining projects that should be implemented for them.

The State Team Lead said ” When we define democracy, we say it is the government of the people, for the people and by the people. This implies that people make democracy work. On that backdrop, we are gathered here so that you can make input to your 2023 budget.

” Thus, what we are here to do is to make community members have input in what concerns them. Choose those key projects you know are very essential and within the purview of the local government.” 

While calling on the councilors to use their legislative powers to ensure the implementation of projects chosen by the people, he added ” The people that represent us should speak for us while we also keep them on their toes to do their work. The Councilors are not there for themselves. They are there for the people.”

The State Team Lead called on the representatives of the people to work for implementation of projects that are people oriented and enduring so that their impact can be felt even after their exit.

Earlier,Mrs Munachi Odunlana, CE-CB Specialist of State2State offered insight to the fact that the State2State Activity has three specific sub-purposes, which are increased efficiency of sub national government operations: strengthening governance systems (with a focus on public financial management PFM and procurement, as well as monitoring and evaluation) related to the delivery of services in the key sectors of basic education, primary health care, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

Others are improved sub-national government responsiveness to citizen needs/CSO engagement, increasing government ability to respond to citizen needs and priorities; and improved sub-national capacity to manage conflict through work on prevention, mitigation and reconciliation with sectoral partners.

Meanwhile, the Director General, Akwa Ibom State Fiscal Responsibility Board, Victor Edet took the participants on ” Budget Consultation by the State Government”.