The Saving One Million Lives Programme for Result (SOML PforR) in Nigeria has urged Yobe communities benefiting from its humanitarian projects to protect the projects.

Development Diaries gathered that the State Programme Manager of SOML PforR, Dr Babagana Abba, made the call during a courtesy visit by the Spotlight for Transparency and Accountability Initiative (Spotlight Initiative) in Damaturu, the state capital.

Abba, during the visit, insinuated that communities in Yobe State had neglected projects in their domains.

It is understood that the aim of the programme, in partnership with other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and state governments, is to improve health care.

With contributions such as the donation of a 5000-litre capacity automated sewage truck to the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, Abba said SOML PforR had been implementing numerous projects for the benefit of communities across the northeast state.

He said, ‘Our people are very negligent. They never take the issue of ownership of projects brought to their communities.

‘You are the beneficiaries, so it is your responsibility to protect the projects by the means within your disposal’.

He called for the formation of community development committees, comprising community leaders, members and staff of health facilities, to help ensure protection of projects intended for communal development.

‘Such committees should know about drugs, medical consumables, vaccines, infrastructural issues and also to monitor the presence and absence of health workers in the facility’, Abba added.

The State Lead for Spotlight Initiative, Yobe State, Mu’azu Alhaji Modu, commended SOML PforR for accountability and transparency.

He said that 90 percent of ongoing projects were satisfactory, with very few observations made concerning some projects.

Source: Blueprint

Photo source: SOML PforR Yobe