Agbi Holds Townhall Meeting With Communities To Strengthen Project Participation, Supervision Across Three Senatorial Districts

By Admin

As part of effort to maintain high-quality projects delivered across the state, the Delta State Directorate of Project Monitoring/Audit, under the leadership of Engr. Dr. (Chief) Goodnews Agbi has held a town hall meeting with communities in the three senatorial districts to strengthen community participation in project monitoring/supervision.

Speaking at the town hall meeting in Asaba, Oshimili South Local Government Area, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Project Monitoring and Audit, Engr. Goodnews Agbi disclosed that the meeting aimed to interact, chart paths with the communities, and also to inform them of the numerous projects that are ongoing in their various communities and the need for all communities to assume ownership of those projects.

According to him, “ The essence of this meeting is to interact with the communities in the three senatorial districts to let them know that whatever project that is located in their community, they should assume that project; it becomes their own."

"His Excellency the Governor will not come and be reviewing that particular project every day. The community people, for instance, if it is a road that leads to the community, that road is meant to deliver goods and services from the community to the township (market).

“So, when the road is located in your community, it is important that we, the community people, assume this project and see to it that the contractor handling the project delivers."

"We are not omnipresent, where we can see every project going on in every nook and cranny of the state.”

The keynote speaker and managing director of Contemporary Group Limited, architect Kester Ifeadi, in his lecture titled :Why Communities Are the Heart of Development, explained that when communities are involved in a project execution, it enhances accountability and transparency, saying that they become the watchdog of that project in their community.

Arch. Kester also added that community involvement creates sustainability and a sense of belonging as a key advantage in taking ownership of those projects.

He commended the state Governor and the Special Adviser on project monitoring and audit for setting up the stakeholders meeting and the project monitoring team to ensure that things are done properly.

Speaking in an interview, His Royal Majesty, Obi Henry Afemefune Kikachukwu, the Obi of Ubulu-Unor commended the state Governor for his brilliant initiative, saying that Deltans are now reaping the dividends of democracy. 

He said all the projects that are ongoing across the three senatorial districts awarded by the governor are topnotch while calling on communities to be patient and assuring them that the MORE AGENDA will get to all.