Audit Accountability Initiative project launches brilliantly
SHIPO in collaboration with WAJIBU Institute of Public Accountability launched a special project on accountability. The project was officially introduced in both Makambako Town Council and Njombe District Commissioner’s office on the 21st and 23rd March 2023 respectively. The project is an initiative designed to address accountability challenges pertaining local government system failure that hinders implementation of audit recommendations issued by the Controller and Auditor General. The project is a learning initiative on knowing what kind of communication is effective to trigger stakeholder’s action, how do different stakeholders act and behave during engagement sessions, why non state actors engage or dis-engage in demanding for accountability, how does different actors play their roles in pushing for implementation of CAG’s recommendations and on what it take for the government stakeholders to act on audit recommendations.
The project will be implemented in Makambako Town Council involving 2 primary schools namely Azimio and Idofi. Specifically this 6 month project aims to:
- Improve government allocation, disbursement, and effective spending on basic education infrastructure.
- Improve school infrastructure as measured by Basic Education Statistics in Tanzania (BEST).
- Improve processes and mechanisms to improve the condition of the education infrastructure (E.g. Needs assessment, articulated plan, timely inspections, and follow up of inspection report / recommendations and quality assurance).
- Obtain action from governments on the implementation of the CAG’s recommendations
- Improve communication on implementation of CAG’s recommendations among various oversight actors, including civil society groups, media, and legislators
- Prepare an advocacy paper that clearly defines the proper line of responsibilities and accountability of who and who are in the implementation of the CAG recommendations as far as primary school infrastructure is concerned.
- Document lessons on effective communication that triggers stakeholders’ action towards implementation of CAGs recommendation. The introduction sessions were attended by government officials including 11 from Makambako Town Council and 3 from Njombe District Commissioner’s office. In both levels, the respective authorities accepted the project and promised superb cooperation.