You don hear am before: “We approved 200 billion for projects.” Everybody clap. Camera flash. Somebody shout “up NEPA”.
Then six months later, your street still dey look like it fought war.
Step 1: Approval is not cash
Budget approval na permission. Release na actual money. Implementation na the real life.
Step 2: Follow the project list
Forget big totals first. Look for projects close to you: road, clinic, school, water, drainage. Write them down.
Step 3: Check timelines and scope
Some projects are multi-year. Some are “rehabilitation” (aka paint and banner). Scope matters.
Step 4: Take photos and notes (small evidence, big power)
Before and after photos, dates, what changed. This is how communities build proof that no be argument.
Step 5: Rate based on outcomes, not announcements
Announcements are entertainment. Outcomes are service.
If you want to rate any official, include: what you expected, what you saw, and how it affected daily life. That’s how citizen accountability becomes practical.