Long post alert

It all started early this year when our NGO embarked on a journey to one of the remotest village in FCT to do humanitarian work, I think one of our greatest undoings was when we went there with a convoy of cars and one or two dignitaries, we were welcomed by the villagers, we introduced ourselves and the purpose of our visit which is to dig a borehole and build a school for them on behalf of our NGO, we even emphasized to them that this is not political stuff but we are doing it out of goodwill and thats the purpose of our NGO.


The villagers were happy to hear that, they said the government have neglected them for a long time but we are here to wipe their tears. We gave them 500k worth of food items and we marked where the borehole would be dug and the location to build a school. A month later the fund was released to the supervisor that was in charge of supervising borehole projects. N.B our mission is to provide borehole every quarter of the year to different communities. Unfortunately because of Covid, we reduced it to only 2 boreholes this year.

The supervisor kept on hanging on the excuses of covid that he is doing the job but covid is slowing him down. August another fund for a borehole to a different community was released to him, we intended to commission the two boreholes in a space of one week this December.

Our first shocker was October when I got a called from an unknown number that the project we gave, the supervisor didn't do any work there (That was the August project) luckily I have the Engineer number and he narrates everything, well the supervisor is a dubious man he didn't give the Engineer a penny to start any work, as I am typing this the supervisor went AWOL and he is now a person of interest. (The supervisor was an employee, not just any random person)

Looking at what happened about the second borehole and the bitter lesson learnt, I quickly called the other Engineer in charge of the first borehole but it was that same dubious supervisor that supervised it. Luckily the Engineer said the borehole is completed, so last week Saturday we went to the village just to commission the borehole, Lo and behold we got our second shocker, I first went to the village chairman and told him what we are here for, his reply was "Which borehole? Politician don give us borehole but your people don chop the money and gave us bogus borehole that has never worked".

And truly when I went to the borehole site what I saw was a complete disgrace and not even quarter of what was given out for the project was spent. The money that was given out was meant to build a big solar borehole with three big tanks, instead what I saw there were a very small tank, 3 taps and not a solar borehole but a generator borehole. I pleaded with the chairman and promise him that I will only provide a big generator for them to power it since the deed has already been done and also tile the entire place.
The chairman grunty accepted with ungratefulness written all over his face (as if it was their right and not a privilege). After 3 days I fulfilled my promise I bought 150k new Gen for them and tile the place. Then I told the chairman that we will come on Saturday( yesterday) to officially commission the borehole after that we will start the school project, he said okay no problem.

So yesterday morning I went there with my people, to my surprise when I called him I got my third shocker, the chairman said he and his people will not attend the commissioning unless I provide big tank for them, and he won't bring the generator that I bought which was meant for the borehole (in his poor mind he was prostesting)That government gave us money to do borehole for them and we chop the money that it was their right. I told him this is not a government project it is a private NGO. (All this we are talking on the phone as he said he is not in the village) and I noticed something odd I didn't see any youth or Men when we went there, only a few old women, and children playing. Out of anger, I threatened, that I will call the police for him if he didn't provide the gen before next week Saturday

I need advice

Should I take back the Gen. From them as they threatened or I should just let everything go because of some of the innocent villagers even though most of them are an accomplice to the chairman?
Why is it that some villagers and poor people have an entitled mentality?

For the school project, we will look for another location in January to build it for people that will appreciate it.


What hurt me most is, this year has just gone like that without any tangible project on the ground due to people cunningness

Lalasticlala

Hmmm

Op, you said its an Ngo, are you the owner of the NGO, cos I notice you are constantly using I, I, I,. Is the money coming directly from your pocket or from that of the NGO, because I know most NGOs have external sponsors.

Back to the matter, you people are supposed to meet jointly with the 4 groups(youths, elders, traditional ruler and chairman of the community) before embarking on the project so tht they cld all do follow up.

But I think at this point now, its not too late, you can bring in the police and have the meeting together with them.

4reala:
Op, you said its an Ngo, are you the owner of the NGO, cos I notice you are constantly using I, I, I,. Is the money coming directly from your pocket or from that of the NGO, because I know most NGOs have external sponsors.

Back to the matter, you people are supposed to meet jointly with the 4 groups(youths, elders, traditional ruler and chairman of the community) before embarking on the project so tht they cld all do follow up.

But I think at this point now, it's not too late, you can bring in the police and have the meeting together with them.

I am not the sponsorer, but I oversee everything that's happening regarding the NGO in terms of projects. The sponsorer is a private entity and the person is not currently in the country. We went with the person only once and that was when we launch the project in the village and shared them foodstuff.


When I told the sponsorer about what transpired between me and the villagers, the person said I should leave them or I should do whatever I like with them. we should just plan for our next project.


I was angry with the villagers that's why I brought it here, I can let go, but what if they repeat the same thing to another person. BTW is a small NGO we don't have chain of staff


Sorry I have to conceal many things because I don't want to let out much details.

Best bet is to teach d greedy man a lesson.

So he can appreciate people next time.

They don't deserve it with this given attitude and if u don't resolve matters, ur NGO's name will get muddy. Information flies faster in rural areas.

Get the generator back and before u release it again, let him know that it isn't government that sent u and he should learn to be grateful, if he wants to protest he should start with his LGA which in sure he hasn't done shit about.

You shouldn't blame them (so to say) if they think govt gave you money to do it. In the north it's govt that does everything for them and they can't survive without govt. If any private organisation stands up to do it they'd not be allowed to unless they go through the morons in the local govt.

fk001:



I am not the sponsorer, but I oversee everything that's happening regarding the NGO in terms of projects. The sponsorer is a private entity and the person is not currently in the country. We went with the person only once and that was when we launch the project in the village and shared them foodstuff.


When I told the sponsorer about what transpired between me and the villagers, the person said I should leave them or I should do whatever I like with them. we should just plan for our next project.


I was angry with the villagers that's why I brought it here, I can let go, but what if they repeat the same thing to another person. BTW is a small NGO we don't have chain of staff


Sorry I have to conceal many things because I don't want to let out much details.

Once beaten, twice shy. A good Project Manager makes sure he does not repeat an avoidable mistake twice, but you have not done that. The root cause of the failed project and possible ways to avoid such next time should be the issue. How are you sure you will not go through the same ordeal in the new site you are relocating to?

You should be happy they didn't mobilize themselves to attack you and your people. Leave the Gen for them,taking it back won't solve any problem.. Ignorance na really big disease.. See community chief dey form power,on top wetin them wan take help their lives