Group Launches APP For Transparency, Accountability In Ebonyi LG System 

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By; MKPUMA ENYINNA, Abakaliki

The Public Enlightenment Project (PEP) with support from  USAID/Nigeria State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness (State2State) Activity has launched a new digital mobile application known as “MEEPEEYA” which is designed to monitor the activities of local government areas to ensure fiscal transparency and accountability in Ebonyi State.

While launching the `Meepeeya’ mobile application in Abakaliki, capital of the state, the Executive Director of Public Enlightenment Project, Mrs.Lilian Ezenwa said that the purpose of designing the new mobile APP is to provide information about budget;local government budget and the state budget, saying that anybody can download it and know how much government is budgeting for projects and services in all sectors in Ebonyi state.

Mrs.Ezenwa also explained that the mobile application can be downloaded from Apple playstore and Google Playstore.

She further noted that the APP not only  contains budget, it also contains the project sites which means you can also visit the project site and ascertain what is on ground;whether  the project is up to the standard and specifications and the reality on ground.

“MEEPEEYA” It is a mobile application that can be downloaded from Apple playstore and the google playstore.It is a three application;just like you can use your normal phone,you can also use to get the application.

“What we have done with it is to provide information about budget;local government budget and the State budget.Anybody can download it and know how much government is budgeting for projects and services in all sectors in Ebonyi State.

“So, not only that it contains budget, it also contains the project sites which means you can also visit the project site and ascertain what is on ground;whether  the project is up to the standard and specifications and the reality on ground,” she said.

She added that, “the  APP is to open our eyes and that is why it called “Meepeeya’ which simply means in Igbo language to `open’.”

Mrs. Ezenwa also assured that through this APP, citizens and government will engage better.

“They will be able to tell government about the projects the executed in various communities and who is accountable for it so that government can act swiftly.”

On her part, the Head of Service, Dr. Mrs.Lita Mary Okoro applauded the efforts of USAID State2state for designing the new mobile APP saying that it will help to monitor and evaluate  the activities of council chairmen to ensure transparency and also provide a feed back mechanism  that will help government and citizens to have a cordial relationship since  you don’t need to know anybody in government before you use the APP.

Responding, the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Chief  Emmanuel Obasi  congratulated Public Enlightenment Projects (PEP) and USAID/S2S for the Implementation of Ebonyi State Local Government Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (LFTAS) Programme in Seven(7)selected LGAs in Ebonyi State namely:Abakaliki, Afikpo South,Ebonyi, Ezza South, Ikwo, Ohaukwu and Ohaozara LGAs but more especially for conceiving and developing the Meepeeya Mobile App.

According to him, Meepeeya Mobile App is the first-ever Transparency Software in the South East dedicated to monitoring of Government Projects to ensure Value for Money and Transparency in the Implementation of Local Government Council Budgets.

Chief Obasi noted that, as the Co-Chair of Open Government Partnership (State Actors Side), Fiscal Transparency,Access to Information and Citizen Engagement which the Meepeeya Mobile App represents and intends to address are part of the proposed Thematic Areas of the First State Action Plan(2022-2024) of Ebonyi State OGP.

He added that Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a global coalition of Reformers from Government (State Actors)and Civil Society Organisations (Non-State actors) working together through voluntary processes to make Government more transparent from both sides.

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