Zondoma: The Special Delegation of the municipality of Leba, in partnership with the Citizenship Laboratory, organized an accountability day, allowing for the presentation of the results of activities from 2023 and 2024 and facilitating an exchange with key stakeholders on current challenges. The event, held on Saturday, December 6, 2025, was attended by representatives from various sectors, including Village Development Councils (CVD), civil society organizations, and customary and religious authorities from the ten villages of the municipality.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the obligation to report to citizens on the management of local affairs is enshrined in Article 11 of the General Code of Local Authorities. This provision guided the Special Delegation of the municipality of Leba to organize the accountability day. The Prefect and President of the special delegation, Koanfanou Debora Koadiari, emphasized the importance of this institutional activity as a means to review the management of the Commune for 2023 and 2024, addressing citizens' concerns, and incorporating their suggestions for improved community management.
"This exercise is a duty for us but also a right for citizens," Koadiari stated, encouraging participants to contribute constructive proposals during the discussions.
The Secretary General of the town hall, Haroun Bonkoungou, presented a detailed report indicating that over 117,511,000 CFA francs were invested in sectors such as education, health, hygiene, humanitarian aid, water and sanitation, and the local economy, benefiting the population. These funds were sourced from the Commune's own resources, State transfers, and subsidies from development partners like the Support Unit for Decentralization and Citizen Participation (CADEPAC), the Agency for the Development of Territorial Communities (ADCT), and the Citizenship Laboratory.
Despite the security context causing the relocation of the town hall and part of the population to Gourcy and Ouahigouya, statutory sessions, municipal consultation frameworks, and issuance of administrative and civil status documents have been regularly conducted. However, municipal authorities acknowledged ongoing challenges, including the need for more classrooms, public restrooms, hospital wards, boreholes, and electrification. Recommendations from the assembly included broadening and controlling the tax base and involving key stakeholders in tax collection and resource mobilization.
Ousseni Sana, a civil society actor, praised the initiative, noting it allowed for an appreciation of the special delegation's efforts despite challenges such as insufficient staff and resource scarcity. Aicha Ouedraogo from the village of Marmissiga expressed satisfaction with the event's organization, noting it enhanced community understanding and involvement.
This dialogue and community engagement space, supported by the Citizenship Laboratory, aims to bolster citizen participation in the municipality, located about 25 km from Gourcy, and address basic social and developmental needs for all villages within the municipality.