… Scores Agencies Implementing FG Funded Projects Low 

By Femi Bolaji 

Jalingo- 

Taraba state government has lamented that politicians are now taking credit for Zonal and constituency intervention projects funded by the Federal Government. 

The state Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Solomon Elisha, who spoke also bemoaned the performance of some agencies of the federal government implementing those projects in the state. 

He explained that the performance ratio of the agencies was gotten from the reports of his Ministry from 2020. 

According to him, “Since 2020, some executing agencies (MDAs) used in implementing the National Budget in Taraba State as its customary for zonal intervention projects (ZIP) and consolidated capital projects from the economic recovery and growth plan (ERGP) under Buhari administration have so far been observed with dismay.

“It’s been observed that some executing agencies have been used over the years for the execution and implementation of Federal Government constituency projects in Taraba State for certain senatorial districts and federal constituencies notwithstanding their previous budget performance as it was poorly executed, unspecified, abandoned or even non-existent.

“It has also been observed that certain zonal intervention projects and consolidated capital projects are seen by many Tarabans as individual projects rather than Federal Government constituency projects that they truly are.

“The conceptualization of government project interventions as individual efforts becomes worrisome because the players are our supposed representatives who have cornered our sovereign wealth to become theirs.”

On why the public should be in the know of the aforementioned, Elisha said his Ministry among other functions is saddled with the responsibility of monitoring all the implementation of government programmes, projects, and activities in the State, including federal or interventions from donor/development partners. 

He also listed some of the FG interventions which are of concern to the state government to include;

“Supply of sewing machines at Taraba Central Senatorial District for employment of women and youths (2021ZIPO178); 

“Grants to assist youths/widows in Entrepreneurship to cushion the effect of COVID 19 in Wukari/lbi Federal Constituency, Taraba State (2021ZIPO373).

“Provision of Solar street light across Taraba North Senatorial District, Taraba State (2021ZIP1139),” among others.