PARALLAX SNAPS: How Much Is That Government Project You’re Hailing? Shine Your Eyes!
BY TONY OKAFOR
Across towns and cities, through radio jingles and social media feeds, citizens are clapping — clapping for boreholes, school blocks, solar lights, and roads that should have been built years ago. The praise is loud. But the question is silent: How much did it cost?
Too often, we applaud new projects without asking the most critical question: What did it cost — and who who are the contractors?
A troubling trend has taken hold in our society: governments execute public projects without disclosing the costs, while citizens praise them without scrutiny. This lack of transparency is not progress — it is a breeding ground for corruption.
The truth is simple: public projects are funded with public money. Taxpayers have the right to know how their money is spent.
Yet, instead of transparency, we are fed propaganda — glossy signboards, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, photo ops — all without budgets, breakdowns, or accountability.
This secrecy shields looters and punishes integrity, turning governance into performance and citizens into passive spectators.
Consider this: if a school block is said to cost ₦60 million, shouldn’t we see the breakdown? If a market is built for ₦500 million, shouldn’t we know who got the contract and what exactly was delivered?
Hiding project costs is the first step toward corruption, inflated contracts, and abuse of office.
It is time for a change. We must shift the conversation from “What did they do?” to “What did it cost?” and “Was it worth it?”
We demand that all levels of government — federal, state, and local — begin to publish the full cost and contractor details of every project they undertake.
Let the budgets be public. Let the breakdowns be visible. Let transparency become the new normal.
When citizens are informed, they are empowered to hold leaders accountable. Transparency builds trust, deters corruption, and ensures that public projects serve the public interest.
So, the next time you see a new school, road, hospital — or even a fun city — don’t just clap. Ask: How much did it cost?
