A Non Governmental organization Community Life Projects, Reclaim Naija has organized a synergy meeting on budget provisions for Communities development and Economic growth across the sixteen Loca Governments and state level.
The Programme targged Budget Meeting Between Local Government and Grassroots Community Leaders officials was declared opened by the Ekiti State Head of Service, Mr Bamidele Agbede.
In a remark, Mr Agbede observed that the bottom to top approach in budget adopted in Ekiti had enabled both Local and state governments to meet the yearnings of the people at the rural areas despite the economic challenges.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary Cabinet, Mrs Oyeyemi Kayode-Ojo , the Head of Service, explained that such step was to ensure that people at the rural areas take interest at maintaining public properties in their domains and keep them from being vandalized by hoodlums.
Mr Agbede however charged Participants at the meeting to take proper records of issues discussed and ensure adequate utilisation of such for meaningful development across towns, villages and farmsteads in Ekiti.
While making their recommendations, Participants at the one day Programme which includes Community leaders listed some of their priorities as provisions of potable water, boreholes, grading of roads to farmsteads, more healthcares, renovation of school buildings, completion of school fence among others.
In an interview, the Programme Coordinator, Community Life Projects, Reclaim Naija, Mr Francis Onahor said that the Budget Meeting was organized to educate both the government officials and leaders of various communities on the need to synergize and work for common goals of ensuring rapid development and prevent budget failure.
Mr Onahor who emphasized the need for both community leaders and Government officials to always special in their budget provision, pointed out that inability of concerned stakeholders to be specific in terms of location of projects budgeted for, amount and specific location often give room for corruption and hijacking or diversion of such projects by politicians.
Two of the Participants, Mr Ayodeji Aluko and Mrs Kadijat Ogundele said that communities involvement in budget preparation had imparted meaningfully on the people in rural areas and expressed confidence that if such was maintained it would continue to add value in future.
