Connected Development (CODE) with funding from Ford Foundation organized a project performance review meeting on the Empowering oil-rich communities (EMOC) for Improved Service Delivery project in Rivers State. The review meeting held on the 29th day of September, 2023 at Visa Karena Hotel, Port Harcourt. The review meeting which involved CODE staff, government officials, contributors, community champions and other stakeholders was held to present key project accomplishments, highlight successful outcomes, milestones and targets achieved. Centre for Human Rights, Health, Ethnic Harmony and Livelihood Development (CHHELD) was a contributor in course of implementation of the EMOC project. Staff of CHHELD partook in a technology-driven data collection and research process, with a focus on Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. These efforts contributed to strengthening reporting systems and improve empirical data towards informing policy, project decisions, and further guiding for the EMOC project. Data was collected on the state of social amenities across Education, health and WASH in Rivers State.
The review meeting of the EMOC activity begun with introductions of participants. Miss Stephanie Iwunze, programme assistant, CODE shared a brief overview of the project and its objectives. the EMOC project sought to help oil-rich communities hold their governments accountable for social and physical infrastructural development deficits. The project recorded huge success even as community members took ownership of the project and took various steps to draw the attention of the government to infrastructural deficits in their communities.
Mrs. Ijeoma Oforka, Chief operation officer, Code, ably represented by Mr. Stephen, the Communications Manager for CODE gave the welcome address to participants. He expressed appreciation to all communities that opened their doors for the successful implementation of the project. He appreciated the government of Rivers State for supporting the project work.
The Honorable Commissioner for Health, Rivers State, Dr. Adaeze Chidinma Oreh gave a presentation on PHCs, Health systems and community collaboration with the government. She appreciated CODE for the project, as everyone and organization is a stakeholder as regards improved access to healthcare, thus every individual and community has to collaborate to achieve improved access to healthcare. The Primary Health Centre is the basic and first point of call to access to quality healthcare at the community and grassroot level, and should be given lots of attention, even as government also work to improve secondary health care in the state and country. She called for a collaboratIve effort between government and community members, the people should not be omitted in plans of governments, practical solutions should be developed to address the peculiar needs of members of the community level.
Dr. Adaeze highlighted the recent lack and access of essential medicines to persons in the state, which has led to reduction in trust in the healthcare centres. She called for adequate compensation of healthcare workers in Rivers State, lack of compensation and welfare to health workers has led to brain-drain and migration of health workers to other parts of the country and world. She expressed commitment to working with community members and leadership and NGOs in the development of health practices in the state. She assured CODE that the Rivers State government shall work with the reports from the EMOC project. Participants in the review meeting were also given the opportunity to ask questions, state their complains and contributions to the commissioner for health. In her response, she assured participants that the Rivers State government led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS is committed to providing basic quality healthcare service, and also equipping of the general specialist hospitals to provide secondary care to members of the community. He informed participants that the Rivers State government intends to employ lots of health practitioners to contribute to the workforce, hence reducing the workload on the health workers in the state.
Dr. Augustine Okere, Lead Researcher CODE shared key accomplishments and success outcomes in course of the implementation of the project, such as ownership and strategies for increased participation, constant reminders and unflinching demand for visible progress; increased participation of women in community development and their demand for accountability, and surveillance for completed and on-going projects. Members and Community Development Committees (CDC) in these target communities demonstrated commitment through the delivery of letters, constant visit to implementing agencies to follow-up on letters and communications demanding for accountability. They also used community townhall meetings to discuss the progress on submitted letters.
Success stories includes:
– Construction of roads in Odufor Umuoye community in Etche LGA
– Completion of classroom and toilet project in Idama Government Secondary school
– On-going construction of Bonny Model Grammar School
– First ever inclusion of women in the CDC leadership of Odiemerenyi Community
Nkem Ibeh, Programme Assistant, CODE facilitated a discussion session where participants including community leaders, representative of the Universal Basic Education board chairman, community paramount leaders, champions and other stakeholders shared lessons learned, challenges encountered in course of project implementation. Participants made contributions such as the importance of inter-agency collaborations in order to synergize efforts in bringing developments in communities.
The Executive Chairman, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Ven Dr. Fyneface Akeh. represented by Mr. Ntamabari, Direcor for physical planning commended CODE and other civil society groups which carry out projects and activities that draw government attention to the gaps in social infrastructural development in the rural communities.
Speaking during the Q&A session, Mr. Dandyson Harry Dandyson, the Executive Director shared concern regards the delayed intervention of the Universal Basic Education Board regarding the fencing of Ido Community Secondary School in Asari-toru LGA, Rivers State. In response to the concern, Sir Dr. Precious Baridoo, the Honorable Commissioner Services in the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board gave assurance that the letter sent by the community has been filed and shall be considered when the board have a budget provision for fencing of secondary schools in the Rivers State, however, he encouraged that CHHELD and the community can also look for counterpart funding to fence the secondary, as the Board welcomes such partnerships and collaborations. Sir Dr. Precious Baridoo encouraged the community to follow-up on the letter submitted to the Board. He encouraged communities to own up the protection of school facilities and teachers posted to schools in their communities.
The review meeting came to a close with group photographs of participants.
