A team of evaluators from the Budget Office of the Federal Ministry of Finance are currently on the fourth quarter 2009 budget performance assessment across the North East to discharge its fiscal responsibility function and fulfill its statutory role of monitoring budget implementation. The exercise is part of the Budget Office's nationwide assessment visits across the six geo-political zones, which started on March 8, and is expected to end by March 19.

The team was in Borno and Yobe states to monitor pilot projects initiated by the federal government towards rescuing the infrastructural decay across the transport and health sectors. Progress of work on sections IV and V of the Kano - Maiduguri road dualization project, and on-going expansion projects at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) were assessed under the team led by Mr. Linus Egeruo in company of Haruna Hassan Penni, Jacob Auta and Julius Adepoju, along with representatives of the civil society. The inclusion of a non-governmental organization (NGO) was to track budgetary appropriations and ensure transparency and accountability in governance.

During the visit to the site for the dualization of the Kano - Maiduguri road (Section IV), from Potiskum to Damaturu, spanning a length of 96.24kilometer, including dual carriageway by-pass, the contractor, Messrs C.G.C. Nigeria Limited were on ground undertaking site clearance, sub-grade fillings, sub-base and bridge retaining walls in expectation that the budget for 2010 would be favourable than the previous years.

In his signed template brief to the team, dated March 8, 2010, Engineer O. C. Ojinna, the engineer representative of the project, provided that total physical achievement since commencement of work stands at 22.82 percent. According to him, since February 1, 2007 when the contract commenced after it was awarded for N30.25billion, a total of N4.4billion had been committed to date, out of which compensation was paid. In his remark, he said inadequate provision of yearly budget and non-payment of certified certificates to contractor is affecting progress of work. This, the assessment notes has led to the extension of completion date from November 30, 2009 to February 10, 2012.

While assessing work progress at Section V (Damaturu - Maiduguri road dualization) axis, handled by the Chinese Civil Engineering Company Ltd (CCECC), work already executed was at 15.41 percent progress. The assessment revealed that out of the contract sum of N39.99billion, only N4.93billion had been committed since inception in August 2006. Challenges and constraints in this section of the project also include: non-payment of compensation, in addition to non-payment of interim certificates due to low budgetary allocations.

Projects assessed at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), which were also awarded during the fourth quarter of the 2009 fiscal year at the cost of N260million comprise: procurement and installation of medical equipment, to include one CT/scanner, seven ultra sound scanners, two Logic 7 and five Logic 5 Ultrasound scanners and 12 corometrics 250 Fetal Monitors. There was also the construction of the second phase of the Virology Laboratory, construction of Nuclear Medicine/Radiotheraphy Centre and upgrading of water supply.

The CT Scanners, Ultrasound Scanners and Fetal Monitors have been procured and a letter of credit has been opened, awaiting delivery and installation. According to the Chief Medical Director, Professor Othman Kyari, while briefing the team, the objective is to improve the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients in various aspects of medicine.

The project for the construction of the second phase of the Virology Laboratory, which has been completed and would strategically place the institution ahead of any competitor. He said the institution is currently a Centre of Excellence in Virology and Infectious Diseases treatment, adding that the project would greatly improve the physical infrastructure and maintain excellence in the diagnosis and management of infections diseases across the country.

According to Professor Kyari, all these equipment are meant to make the tertiary institution function at its peak as a centre of excellence. But most dear to his heart, he said, is the construction of the Nuclear Medical/Radiotheraphy Centre, which at present is about 60 per cent. He said, "The Nuclear Medical/Radiotheraphy Centre is going to be strategic and effective for diagnosis, treatment and management of cancer. It is the most important project at the moment and is dear to the heart of stakeholders in the health sector because it has a foreign component. Once it is completed, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will come in to collaborate with us."

The water supply upgrade, which was the last project to be inspected, would be installed with submersible and sewage pumps, pump starters and cables, and would be capable of supplying 12 liters of potable drinking water for the hospital.

Responding, the team leader, Mr. Linus Egeruo said it was evident that inadequate yearly budget provision was affecting delivery as schedule, but that it was time for management of tertiary health institutions to prioritize needs, while adding that projects such as the road dualization projects, would help to attain the key component of President Yar'adua's seven point agenda of rural transformation through good road networks; and would facilitate the transportation of agriculture produce and other services to urban centers, as well as to strengthen on-going rehabilitation and repairs of the country's road network across the country. The team has since left Maiduguri, to monitor other projects within the region.