President Muhammadu Buhari has launched a digital application, Eyemark, which enables citizens to monitor and evaluate projects executed by the government.

Buhari, who launched the digital application at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, said the innovation would help to forestall the practice of abandoning projects as all stakeholders, like communities, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), contractors, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and citizens would continually interact on one platform.

According to a statement issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, the President said Eyemark, which would provide a regular update on the status of capital projects across the country through bottom-up interactive processes, would be fully involved at every stage, including knowing the cost, structure, benefit, and framework for maintenance after completion.

“The Eyemark application tackles the two major constraints we have faced as a country in our monitoring and evaluation efforts. Eyemark introduces a digital approach to monitoring & evaluation in the Federal Government that gives MDAs the ability to harness geospatial and project implementation data on a continuous basis.

“Furthermore, the constraint of limited monitoring and evaluation personnel is addressed by utilizing a bottom-up approach through crowdsourcing geotagged data from Nigerians in every part of the country. Not only does this address the pressing monitoring and evaluation issues, but it also institutes accountability and transparency in the system, in line with my commitment to Nigerians and the Open Government Partnership.

“With the Eyemark application, Nigerians worldwide can access project information with the click of a button. Project data such as its status, timeline, executing contractors, the amount appropriated and spent so far, amongst others, are now available in the public space.

“With the ability for citizens to give reviews and feedback in real-time on projects around them, we are closing the existing gaps and promoting participation in governance. Due to its decentralised nature, the Eyemark application brings together all project stakeholders to the table, such as Contractors and Civil Society Organisations in addition to MDAs and Citizens.

“This means that we must all play our roles in the success of project implementation through Eyemark. As such, the Eyemark application should be used by all Federal MDAs as the primary tool for project monitoring and evaluation,” President Buhari said.

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Buhari implored all MDAs to furnish the application with the relevant data and information for all current and future projects, saying the Eyemark application offers an opportunity to sensitise and advertise to the world the goals and magnitude of infrastructure projects being carried out by the government.

He urged the MDAs to work closely with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning through the National Monitoring and Evaluation Department to continually build upon current efforts.

“On their part, the contractors should similarly utilise the platform as a means to keep citizens abreast of your good works, updating them regularly as projects progress or unforeseen circumstances arise.

“We are spotlighting our collaboration on infrastructure delivery, and your role in this cannot be understated. To my fellow Nigerians and CSOs that speak on behalf of those that cannot, you are the main stakeholder in every project we undertake. As I encourage you to review our projects, I also assure you that your constructive feedback will not be met with deaf ears but an M&E team eagerly ready to respond to you and take action.

“Let me now use this opportunity to commend the Minister and Minister of State of Finance, Budget and National Planning, their dedicated team, and the brilliant minds that made this a reality, for this feat which is in line with our transparency, inclusiveness and participation policy of our Government, especially the Budget and National Planning arm, for delivering on this key mandate and their commitment and efforts towards a more thorough and prosperous Nigeria,” President Buhari stated.

The President, however, charged MDAs and the state governments to work together in extending the effort across all tiers of government to promote a more robust and contextual database of projects, adding that Eyemark would remain an official tool for monitoring and evaluating Federal Government’s capital projects.

In his remarks, the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, said the Eyemark project was inspired by the monitoring and evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic by the ministry and realised by talented young Nigerians.

Agba said the “homegrown and nationally coordinated” application had transited governments from the era of “earmarking” projects, with little or no monitoring tools, to “eye marking”, where all stakeholders will be fully involved at every stage.

The minister stated that citizen empowerment begins with ownership, where people can freely take photographs of projects, upload them for review and also post comments, and the feedback loop will be sustained by all stakeholders.

He thanked President Buhari for his interest and endorsement of the project, which he said practically reflects his position on transparency and accountability, particularly with citizen participation.

Agba said the digital application will be extended to states and development partners for free.

The Star