The National Monitoring and Evaluation platform, EYEMARK, was introduced by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retired), on Wednesday.
Shortly before the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the council rooms of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari unveiled the project monitoring website (www.eyemark.ng) and its companion mobile app.
The President stated that the federal government could no longer rely on its small number of Monitoring and Evaluation teams to manage the numerous infrastructure projects dispersed around the country.
He said that given that his regime has invested in infrastructure projects more than any other before, it is only fitting to create adequate avenues for close monitoring by citizens.
He said this will close the existing gaps and promote citizens’ participation in governance.
Buhari also blamed the spate of corruption on the poor implementation of infrastructure projects across the country.
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With EYEMARK, the president said, “The status of projects, total amount appropriated and dispensed so far are now available in the public space.”
He urged Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to cooperate with the coordinating ministry, Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning to avail the required information to be captured on the platform.
In his address earlier, the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, said EYEMARK would empower citizens and Civil Society Organisations to monitor capital projects in real-time to promote accountability.
Agba noted that the platform leverages a large network of citizens who can monitor projects in their localities.
However, he warned that relying on the public comes with the risk of misinformation.
Therefore, EYEMARK has been equipped with spatial technology to track images and ascertain their origins.
“If a user is in Kaduna, we can determine the authenticity of the reviews. And we can know if the image was uploaded from the location the user claimed it was sent from,” he explained.
Agba also revealed that the website and its accompanying app were developed by Nigerians of the average age of 24, with inputs from stakeholders and industry experts.
Before the meeting, the council observed a minute silence for a departed member, Demola Seriki, a former Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources under the Umaru Yar’Adua administration.
Before his death on December 15, Seriki, 63, was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain.
In attendance were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; and Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan.
Also physically attending the meeting are Ministers of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed; Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare; Science and Technology, Olorunimbe Mamora; and Police Affairs, Maigari Dingiyadi.
Others are Minister of States for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba; Environment Sharon Ikeazor and Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
Joining virtually are the Ministers of Education, Adamu Adamu; Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami; Defence, Bashir Magashi; Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite; and his state counterpart Sen. Gbemisola Saraki; Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management, Social Development, Sadiya Farouq; Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; and Industry, Trade and Investment (State), Maryam Katagum.
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