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CHAPTER 11: CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED
Challenges and Lessons
Project implementation is fraught with obstacles,
some of them foreseeable while others can only be
learnt from. Though DRG funds allocated for
implementation of MDG projects and programmes
were distributed according to sectors, the
consultants on monitoring and evaluation, in
consultation with the OSSAP-MDGs, took on the
challenge of attempting to paint pictures of the
interventions in forms of the Goals they aim to
speak to. In general, cooperation from the MDAs
in providing required information/status of their
projects during monitoring and evaluation still has
room for improvement. The M&E teams noted a
pervasive caginess on the part of officials that
should provide information on location of project,
completion status and/or any hindrance towards
success of the project. Some projects also
apparently suffer a dearth of needs assessments
before sites were chosen often leading to
duplications in close proximity to each other.
Inexperienced contractors, contract sub-letting and
late award of contracts were notable challenges
that plagued projects in many locations across the
country.
Some good practices were noted in the course of
the M&E exercise, nevertheless. For instance,
stringent applications of conditions in the
Conditional Cash Transfer programme
implemented by NAPEP and the involvement of
the civil society groups in administering the
project made a difference in 2009 as beneficiaries
were closely monitored in the utilisation of the
funds. They were told exactly what to do with the
money; they did, and so improved their
livelihoods. This is a clear departure from the old
practice that allowed some beneficiaries to divert
the money to other uses because the benefactor
doled out money with little or no concern for
utilisation. Furthermore, some CCT beneficiaries
whose names were inadvertently omitted from the
list of recipients posed some hindrances to
disbursement officers in states like Lagos. In some
earth dams, funded through the States‘ CGS office
with participation of OSSAP-MDGs, benefiting
communities such as Otukpo in Benue State,
M&E teams learnt that water from the dam is used
not only for irrigation but other unintended
purposes such as domestic uses due to lack of
other sources of water. This may have negative
health implications on the people if they are not
provided access to potable water. In addition, in
areas with no nearby source of portable water,
design of projects for construction of VIP toilets
without construction of boreholes appeared to
pose sanitation challenges.
This report categorises the challenges and lessons
learnt in two: Structural/institutional, and
financial.
Structural and Institutional Challenges and
Lessons
These relate to the structure of the various
institutions administering the implementation of
DRGs funds and projects.
Exclusion of certain groups of potential
beneficiaries during project design poses a
challenge to achievement of various goals.
Disadvantaged social groups such as the Almajiri
continue to be excluded in the implementation of
certain educational programmes while the types of
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