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ABUJA – The Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs (FMSDIGA) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving transparency, accountability and citizen participation in the implementation of Zonal Intervention and Constituency Projects (ZIPs/CPs), saying stronger collaboration among stakeholders is critical to delivering sustainable development across Nigeria.
The commitment was made on Tuesday during the Ministry’s Second Quarter Stakeholders Interactive and Citizens Engagement Forum held in Abuja. The forum, themed “Strengthening the Effective Implementation of Zonal Intervention and Constituency Projects (ZIPs/CPs) in Line with the Renewed Hope Agenda,” brought together representatives of government agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, community leaders, the media and project beneficiaries.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Hon. Zephaniah Bitrus Jisalo, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Onwusoro Maduka Ihemelandu, said the engagement demonstrated the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that constituency and zonal intervention projects are implemented transparently and efficiently.
He noted that the projects remain an important component of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and are designed to improve the lives of Nigerians through targeted community development initiatives.
“The engagement reflects the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, citizen participation and effective service delivery in the implementation of Zonal Intervention and Constituency Projects across Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, the ministry has strengthened its monitoring and verification processes, resulting in improved project oversight.
He disclosed that project verification performance rose from 28.88 per cent in 2023 to 43.13 per cent in 2024, while the 2025 verification exercise is currently underway with indications of even better results.
“This improvement reflects stronger oversight and monitoring mechanisms, and we are optimistic that the ongoing 2025 verification exercise will record even greater progress,” he added.
The minister, through the Permanent Secretary, urged development partners and civil society organisations to continue providing technical support and constructive feedback, while calling on host communities and project beneficiaries to take ownership of completed projects to ensure their sustainability.
He also appealed to the media to promote transparency by objectively reporting government interventions and highlighting successful constituency projects.
Earlier in his welcome address, Dr. Ihemelandu described stakeholder engagement as vital to improving project implementation, following the presentation of the status report on ZIPs/CPs and the unveiling of the ministry’s maiden compendium titled, “Actualizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda Through the Implementation of ZIPs/CPs.”
He explained that the publication was developed to sustain stakeholder engagement and encourage greater citizen participation in constituency project implementation.
“The success of stakeholder engagement depends not only on government efforts but also on the active collaboration of implementing Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, community leaders and citizens,” he said.
He added that sustained collaboration among all stakeholders remains essential to ensuring that constituency and zonal intervention projects deliver lasting socio-economic benefits to communities across the country.
The event was attended by stakeholders from across the public and private sectors, including Senator Anthony Ishaku Yaro of Gombe State, whose participation underscored the importance of legislative support in advancing constituency and zonal intervention projects.
Participants also engaged in interactive discussions and a question-and-answer session, where they offered recommendations on improving project implementation, monitoring, accountability and sustainability.
The ministry reaffirmed its resolve to sustain stakeholder engagement and deepen collaboration with relevant institutions to ensure the successful delivery of constituency and zonal intervention projects in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
