Nigeria, like many developing nations, faces diverse governance challenges, one of the most pressing being lack of accountability in public administration. This issue stems largely from citizens’ limited awareness of their civic rights and their ability to monitor government projects and spending. Recognizing this gap, Sharapo initiated a project under the Millennium Fellowship 2025 to enlighten citizens—especially youths—on transparency, accountability, and civic participation.
The project was inspired by the observation that government funds are often spent lavishly on unimportant ventures while citizens remain uninformed about how public resources are managed. This ignorance creates room for corruption and poor governance.
Sharapo’s project aimed to bridge this gap by educating people on how to:
Access public financial and project information.
Monitor government spending and implementation of development projects.
Legally demand accountability from elected officials.
Participate actively in governance and decision-making.
Objectives
** Raise Awareness among citizens about their right to access government information.
** Train Youths and Adults on how to track and evaluate government projects.
** Promote Active Citizenship through civic education and social accountability mechanisms.
** Reduce Corruption by encouraging transparency and participatory governance.
Project Activities
The project involved multiple stages of implementation:
a. Training Workshops
** Conducted series of workshops for diverse groups, including students, young adults, and older citizens.
** Each training batch had over 20 participants, focusing on:
** Understanding government budgets and procurement processes.
** Using digital platforms to track public projects.
**bReporting and escalating community issues to relevant government offices.
b. Community Engagement
** Participants were trained to identify challenges in their local communities and channel them to elected officials for action.
** The project emphasized legal and constructive monitoring of government performance rather than confrontation.
c. Social Media Outreach
** Leveraged social media platforms to spread awareness and share educational content.
** Posts reached hundreds of online users, promoting accountability discourse beyond physical workshops.
Project Outcomes
** Direct beneficiaries: Approximately 150 youths received hands-on training.
** Indirect beneficiaries: Over 500 individuals reached through peer training and social media engagement.
Participants gained practical knowledge on:
** How to obtain public data on government expenditure.
** Ways to engage policymakers respectfully and effectively.
** The importance of civic vigilance in democratic governance.