Ensure Transparency in N500M relief fund, KADSPAC tells El-Rufa’i

By Ibrahim Hassan

A group, the Kaduna Social Protection Accountability Coalition (KADSPAC) has advocated for social accountability and transparency in the distribution of relief materials to vulnerable groups in Kaduna state.

KADSPAC, in a statement signed by the Chairperson, Jessica Bartholomew, said  the Kaduna State Government must  ensure social accountability and transparency in the distribution of relief materials to poor and vulnerable households largely affected by the total lockdown of the state as part of measures to prevent the spread of Coronavirus pandemic in Kaduna State.

“KADSPAC, is a network of active civil society and media partners working collaboratively to strengthen transparency and accountability in the Social Protection system in the State,” she said.

According  to her, the coalition has the goal of ‘improved coordination and delivery of Social Protection programmes to benefit poor and vulnerable people in Kaduna state’.

“We need to jointly confront and defeat the spread of the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19) ravaging the world. For us in Kaduna State, the Government has continued to take proactive measures to stop the spread of the virus among its citizenry as well as the laudable step to put relief measures in place to cushion the impact of the current lockdown across the state. ”

“We commend Governor Nasir El-Rufai and his Covid-19 emergency team for being decisive in communicating preventive measures that have culminated into the imposition of indefinite curfew on the State, as best alternative to preventing the spread of the virus in the state.”

“Equally important is the palliative measures being taken to cushion the effect of the lockdown, particularly on the most vulnerable groups in the State.”

“According to the Commissioner, Ministry for Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, a sum of N500 million has been earmarked for the procurement and distribution of relief materials in eight pilot local government areas which are: Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Igabi, Chikun, Zaria, Sabon Gari, Kaura and Jema’a, covering the three (3) geo political zones.”

“This is timely and a right step in the right direction, as residents of the State have expressed serious concern over growing hunger, particularly among the poor and vulnerable households/groups in our communities due to the lockdown. This quick response did not come as a surprise as the government has already initiated the process of establishing a social protection system in the State.”

“However, while we are fully aware that due process and procedures in unusual times like this might be suspended in order to effectively confront humanitarian emergencies, the government needs to strengthen its fiscal transparency and accountability instruments.”

“In addition, the deployment of information and communication mechanism are critical at ensuring citizens and civil societies are carried along in the interventions.”

“However, as a Coalition advocating for transparency and accountability in the Social Protection system in the State, we have made the following observations:”

READ ALSO: 25m to lose jobs globally over COVID-19 – ILO

“We are concerned at the low level of information dissemination on the modalities for the distribution of relief materials in the pilot local government areas.

“There are fears that the composition of the state and local government committees is without the inclusion of active civil society, people with disabilities and media partners with the capacity to effectively proffer solutions, track and ensure that the relief materials get to the target beneficiaries.

As you are aware, the State government has signed unto the Open Government Partnership (OGP), which is a commitment to reforms that ensure active citizen’s access to information and participation in government’s decision-making processes.”

“The modalities for the constitution of the distribution clusters and the committees in the benefiting local government areas as well as the identification and selection of targeted beneficiaries were not clear.

“There are fears that the intervention might be hijacked by politicians with vested interest as the composition of the committees is rumored to include local government chairmen of the ruling political party. Some vulnerable groups are already concerned that they might not benefit from the intervention,” she said.

The group expressed optimism that the State Steering Committee will consider and take appropriate actions on the above concerns to ensure a hitch free distribution of the relief items.

The group however,  recommended, among others, inclusion of civil society and media partners with a track record of tracking governance processes in all the relevant committees and clusters.

Vanguard

All copyrights for this article are reserved to TheNigerian News