Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in the area of procurement in order to promote transparency and accountability as well as improve basic education.
The expression was made by a Senior Programme Manager of CITAD, Isa Garba when he led his team on advocacy to the Chairman of SUBEB and his management, Dr Surumbai Dahiru Usman.
Isa Garba said that CITAD has been working in the education sector of the state for a few years in the area of engaging some secondary schools for the conduction of the state-level inter-secondary schools ICTS Quiz and also at the national ICTs quiz where the then Government Technical College, Gadau won second position and government Arabic College, Jamaáre won the second position.
Training of SBMC on the roles to play for effective service delivery and monitoring of schools in the state;
Training of media on Participating in the activities of UNICEF educational activities in the state.
It is also to improve their ability to plan and budget, raise revenues, increase civil society participation, and oversee service delivery in the health; education; and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sectors.
The State2State works primarily at the state level, but also supports federal institutions and local government areas.
State2State specifically recognizes the role of the state governors and commissioners in driving forward reforms in Nigeria, but, importantly, gives equal weight to the essential role that national fiscal and development policy, citizen demand, and local innovation, collaboration, and learning across and among states play in solving governance, financing, and service delivery challenges.
He said that, “Sir, we are here today to inform you that CITAD is granted by the United Sates Agency for International Development (USAID) through the “State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness” (“State2State”) to implement a governance project in Bauchi state”.
“The goal of the project is to strengthen citizens’ participation in governance through active participation in the budgetary and procurement processes of the state”, he added.
According to him, “While the objectives of the project are: Enhance the capacity of 40 CSOs to engage both government and citizens in the budget process as means of improving citizens’ participation in budget processes; Enhance the skills of 40 government officials on the interface with citizens to collect, collate and use citizens input in the budget process and Facilitate the monitoring of procurement processes in the focal areas of education, health, youth and women development”
He said that, “In the implementation process on this project, CITAD will be working with SUBEB as a key area of our interest. Specifically, our engagement in the SUBEB will focus on building the capacity of the procurement unit of the board and also on how citizens can actively participate in the development of the education sector of the state”.
It will especially engage the legislators in increasing the budgetary allocation to the sector, help the agency in monitoring projects using an Android Application that will be developed and utilize as an interface avenue between the communities, their representatives at the house of assembly and the board to ensure that contracts are executed base on the contract agreements and specifications, as at when due and follow up with the Ministry of finance and the house of the assembly when there is a delay in the release of funds and any other engagement that will promote effective service delivery of the sector.
“Therefore, we are soliciting the support of your office to work with us in achieving the objectives of the project as well as contributing our quota in transforming the education sector of the state which is the major deliverables of the board”, he concluded.
In his response, Permanent Commissioner 1, Alh Idris Ahmed Hardawa said that the Board has in place a procurement office that is working in line with all procurement and financial regulations.
He said that, “Our books are always open for you to go through and we are ready to work with you in achieving a transparent procurement atmosphere. We are partners with you in the development of the basic education sector”.
The Permanent Commissioner 1 added that, “everything we do here is opened and transparent in line with financial and procurement regulations, we ensure that due process is followed in procurement transactions”.
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday at State House Abuja urged the MTN Group to make the available top-of-the-range service to its Nigerian subscribers… CITAD partners Bauchi SUBEB to promote transparency in procurement processes, improve basic education CITAD partners Bauchi SUBEB to promote transparency in procurement processes, improve basic education CITAD partners Bauchi SUBEB to promote transparency in procurement processes, improve basic education CITAD partners Bauchi SUBEB to promote transparency in procurement processes, improve basic education
