User Manual — ALIA SCORECARD

1. Welcome to ALIA SCORECARD

ALIA SCORECARD is the official government information and public-accountability platform for Benue State, Nigeria. Its tagline is BENUE STATE, DOCUMENTED.

The platform makes government projects, programmes, policies, and spending across all 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) searchable, traceable, and verifiable. It presents documented evidence and lets you draw your own conclusions.

ⓘ Important: ALIA SCORECARD is not a campaign site, propaganda tool, or political rating system. It shows no aggregate governor rating and makes no electoral recommendations. It is a factual public record.

Who Is This Platform For?

👤 Citizens

Track government projects in your community, LGA, and across Benue State. Verify claims with evidence.

📰 Journalists

Access verified data, download reports, and find evidence for investigative reporting on governance.

📚 Researchers

Explore structured datasets on development spending, project outcomes, and programme coverage.

🏛 Officials

Review project records, update milestones, upload evidence, and manage your MDA's portfolio.

2. Getting Started

No account is needed to browse public data. Simply open the website in your browser and start exploring. An account is only required for government officials who need to manage records.

System Requirements

Browser: Any modern browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera
Device: Works on phones, tablets, and computers. Optimized for low-end Android phones
Internet: Required for initial load. Some pages work offline after first visit
Data: Designed to use minimal data on slow networks

Quick Start

1

Visit the homepage — Open your browser and go to the ALIA SCORECARD website. You will see the hero section with a search bar and key statistics.

2

Search or browse — Type a keyword (e.g., "road", "Makurdi", "health") into the search bar and press Enter. Or click any sector card to browse projects by category.

3

Explore the Atlas — Click "Explore the Atlas" to see an interactive map of all 23 LGAs with project markers.

4

Download reports — Visit the Open Data Centre to download CSV, Excel, or PDF reports.

💡 Tip: You can install ALIA SCORECARD as an app on your phone. Tap your browser's menu and select "Add to Home Screen" or "Install App."

3. Homepage

The homepage is your starting point. It provides an overview of governance activity in Benue State and quick links to all major features.

What You Will Find

Hero Section: The main search bar, headline, and call-to-action buttons
Live Statistics: Total projects, completed, ongoing, programmes, LGAs covered, and documents — all pulled from the real database
Sector Cards: 16 clickable cards representing key sectors (Education, Health, Agriculture, etc.)
Image Gallery: Featured photos from Benue State (managed by administrators)
Map Preview: A preview of the Development Atlas showing all 23 LGAs
Featured Projects: The most recently published projects
Latest Updates: Recent news and announcements from the Governance Newsroom
Ask Benue: Entry point to the AI-powered search assistant
Evidence Desk CTA: Quick link to submit citizen evidence

📷 Screenshot: Homepage layout with hero, stats, and sector cards

4. Development Atlas

The Development Atlas is an interactive map of all 23 Local Government Areas in Benue State. It shows the geographic distribution of government projects and programmes.

The 23 LGAs

Ado, Agatu, Apa, Buruku, Gboko, Guma, Gwer East, Gwer West, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Kwande, Logo, Makurdi, Obi, Ogbadibo, Ohimini, Oju, Okpokwu, Otukpo, Tarka, Ukum, Ushongo, and Vandeikya.

How to Use the Atlas

1

Open the Atlas — Click "Atlas" in the navigation bar or the "Explore the Atlas" button on the homepage.

2

Navigate the map — Pinch to zoom on mobile, or use the + and - buttons on desktop. Drag to pan around the map.

3

Click an LGA — Tap or click on any LGA area to see a summary of projects in that area.

4

Filter by sector or status — Use the filter controls above the map to show only specific types of projects (e.g., Health projects that are Ongoing).

5

Toggle Map/List view — Switch between the map view and a list view for easier browsing on small screens.

Map Markers

Green = Completed / Operational
Blue = Ongoing
Orange = Planned / Announced
Red = Suspended / Cancelled

ⓘ Note: If a project has no verified coordinates, it will appear in the LGA list but not as a specific point on the map. The platform never fabricates locations.

5. Project Register

The Project Register is a searchable directory of all documented government projects in Benue State. Each project has a unique ID, detailed information, and evidence records.

Browsing Projects

Click "Projects" in the navigation bar. You will see a list of projects with their title, LGA, sector, status, and verification classification.

Filtering and Sorting

Use the filter bar at the top to narrow results by:

LGA: Select one of the 23 Local Government Areas
Sector: Choose from 16 sectors (Education, Health, etc.)
MDA: Filter by Ministry, Department, or Agency
Status: Announced, Ongoing, Completed, Suspended, Cancelled, etc.
Financial Year: Filter by budget year
Date Range: Set start and end dates
Verification Class: Verified, Officially Reported, Pending, Unavailable

Understanding Verification

Every project carries a verification classification:

Verified — Independently confirmed with evidence
Officially Reported — Reported by government, not yet independently verified
Pending — Awaiting verification review
Unavailable — Insufficient information to verify

⚠ Important: A project being listed does not mean it is verified. Always check the verification badge and evidence completeness score before drawing conclusions.

6. Project Detail Pages

Each project has a permanent, shareable page with comprehensive information. Click any project from the Register or Atlas to view its detail page.

What a Project Page Contains

Overview: Title, unique project ID, description, and objectives
Location Map: Interactive map showing the project location (if coordinates are available)
MDA & Contractor: Responsible ministry/agency and contractor details
Timeline: Start date, expected completion, actual completion
Progress History: Milestone-by-milestone progress record (status changes are never erased)
Photos: Before/after images and site photos (when available)
Evidence: Linked documents, inspection reports, and verification records
Financials: Contract sum, approved budget, funds released (if disclosed)
Beneficiaries: Estimated and confirmed beneficiary numbers
Verification: Current classification and evidence completeness score
Share & Download: Share the page link or download a project passport (QR code)

Project Passport (QR Code)

Every project has a unique QR code called a Development Passport. Scanning the QR code (from a project signboard, plaque, or publication) opens the project's public page — no login required. The passport shows the project name, reference, location, status, history, photos, and financials.

💡 Tip: To share a project, copy the URL from your browser's address bar. Every project page has a permanent, stable URL that will not change.

7. Promise-to-Delivery Register

This register tracks government commitments from announcement through to completion and operation. It distinguishes between physical completion and actual operational functionality.

Tracking Stages

Each commitment passes through configurable stages:

Announced — Public commitment made
Approved — Formal approval granted
Funded — Budget allocated and funds released
Procurement Initiated — Tender/contract process started
Mobilised — Contractor/agency mobilised to site
Ongoing — Active implementation
Completed — Physical construction/implementation done
Operational — Facility/programme actually functioning
Suspended — Temporarily halted
Cancelled — Permanently abandoned

ⓘ Note: Not all stages apply to every commitment. A policy may skip procurement stages, for example. The platform records what is documented, not what is assumed.

8. People & Impact Observatory

The Observatory focuses on human-centred programmes: scholarships, health outreach, agricultural assistance, employment schemes, vocational training, welfare programmes, youth development, and community support.

What You Will Find

Programme name, managing institution, and eligibility criteria
Target, reported, and confirmed beneficiary numbers
Geographic coverage (which LGAs and communities)
Financial information (if disclosed)
Outcome indicators and impact stories
Supporting documents and evidence

⚠ Privacy: The Observatory never exposes personal or sensitive beneficiary data. All individual-level information is aggregated and anonymized in compliance with Nigerian data protection law.

9. Administration Timeline

A chronological archive of governance activity in Benue State. Browse events by year, month, sector, LGA, MDA, project, programme, policy, or event type.

Views

Timeline View: Visual chronological display with connected milestones
List View: Searchable, filterable table of all recorded events

The timeline includes project milestones, policy announcements, budget approvals, programme launches, and significant governance events.

10. Budget & Expenditure Explorer

Explore government finances with strict distinctions between different types of financial data.

Key Distinctions

⚠ Critical: The platform strictly distinguishes between:

Approved Budget — What was authorized (not necessarily released)
Contract Sum — What was agreed with a contractor
Funds Released — What was actually disbursed
Payments Made — What was actually paid out

An approved budget does not mean money was spent. A contract does not mean payment was made.

Features

Filter by financial year, LGA, sector, MDA, and project
View procurement documents and source attribution
Download financial reports in PDF, CSV, or Excel
Compare budget vs. actual expenditure across periods

11. Governance Newsroom

The Newsroom publishes official announcements, project updates, policy explainers, press releases, features, interviews, and public notices.

Content Types

Announcements and Statements
Project Updates and Progress Reports
Policy Explainers
Press Releases
Features and Interviews
Public Notices

BENUE THIS WEEK

A weekly digest summarizing key governance developments. Available in the Newsroom and downloadable as a printable PDF. Published every Friday.

💡 Tip: Official announcements are clearly distinguished from independently verified evidence. Look for the verification badge on each article.

12. Citizen Evidence Desk

The Evidence Desk allows any member of the public to submit observations, photos, corrections, questions, and documents about government projects.

What You Can Submit

Photos of project sites (completed, ongoing, or abandoned)
Observations about project status
Corrections to existing records
Questions about specific projects
Facility condition reports
Supporting documents

How to Submit

1

Go to Evidence Desk — Click "Evidence Desk" in the navigation bar.

2

Choose a category — Select the type of submission (photo, observation, correction, etc.).

3

Fill in the details — Provide the project name or reference (if known), location, description, and attach any photos or documents.

4

Provide contact (optional) — You may provide your name, email, or phone for follow-up. This is optional.

5

Agree and submit — Check the consent and privacy acknowledgement boxes, then click Submit. You will receive a reference number.

ⓘ Important: Citizen submissions never automatically modify official records. All submissions are reviewed by administrators before any action is taken.

13. Open Data & Download Centre

Download structured data and reports in multiple formats for research, analysis, and reporting.

Available Formats

PDF: Beautifully formatted reports with charts and tables
CSV: Comma-separated values for spreadsheet analysis
Excel: Microsoft Excel format with formatted sheets

Available Reports

Statewide project summary
LGA-specific reports
Sector reports
MDA reports
Project implementation reports
Programme reports
Evidence completeness reports
Budget and expenditure reports
Annual activity reports
BENUE THIS WEEK weekly digest

💡 Tip: Use the filters before downloading to get exactly the data you need. All downloads include publication date, data sources, definitions, and limitations.

14. Ask Benue (AI Assistant)

Ask Benue is a conversational assistant that searches the real database and published documents to answer your questions about governance in Benue State.

What You Can Ask

"How many road projects are in Gboko LGA?"
"What is the status of the Makurdi water project?"
"Show me health programmes in Benue South"
"What is the total budget for education in 2024?"

How It Works

It queries the real database — answers are based on actual records
It cites specific projects, documents, and sources
It clearly states when information is unavailable
It distinguishes official reports from verified evidence
It never invents statistics, projects, or details
It does not give political scores or electoral advice

15. Unified Search

The search function works across all content types: projects, programmes, policies, news articles, institutions, LGAs, reports, and public documents.

How to Search

Type your query in the search bar on the homepage or the dedicated Search page
Results are grouped by type (Projects, Programmes, News, etc.)
Use filters to narrow by LGA, sector, date range, and status
Click any result to go directly to the full record

16. Dark & Light Mode

ALIA SCORECARD supports both dark and light visual themes for comfortable viewing in any lighting condition.

How to Switch

1

Find the toggle — Look for the moon/sun icon in the top-right corner of the navigation bar.

2

Click to switch — Click the icon to toggle between dark and light mode. Your choice is remembered across all pages and visits.

💡 Tip: If you have not manually chosen a theme, the platform automatically follows your device's system setting (dark or light).

17. Mobile & Offline Use

ALIA SCORECARD is a Progressive Web App (PWA), meaning it can be installed on your phone like a regular app and works partially offline.

Installing the App

1

Open the website in Chrome on your Android phone.

2

Tap the menu (three dots in the top-right corner).

3

Select "Install App" or "Add to Home Screen."

4

Confirm — The app icon will appear on your home screen.

Offline Access

After your first visit, the app shell loads even without internet
Previously viewed project pages are cached and accessible offline
Search and new data require an internet connection
Admin pages are never cached for security

18. Privacy & Data Governance

ALIA SCORECARD takes data privacy seriously and complies with Nigerian data protection regulations.

What We Collect

Page visits: Anonymous tracking of which pages are viewed (for analytics)
Downloads: Which reports and files are downloaded
Submissions: Only what you voluntarily provide through the Evidence Desk

What We Do NOT Collect

No personal identification from anonymous visitors
No tracking cookies for advertising
No sale of user data to third parties
No exposure of personal beneficiary information

Data Accuracy

The platform distinguishes between government-reported data, independently verified data, and data where information is unavailable. If you find an error, use the Corrections & Feedback page or the Evidence Desk to report it.

19. Admin Dashboard (Authorized Users Only)

The Admin Dashboard is a secure area for authorized government officials. It is not accessible to the public.

Features

Overview: Live metrics, charts, and activity summaries
Project Management: Create, edit, archive, and publish projects
Evidence Repository: Upload and manage photos, documents, and reports
Verification Workspace: Review evidence and assign verification classifications
Editorial: Write, review, and publish newsroom articles
User Management: Approve, activate, deactivate users and assign roles
Analytics: View visitor traffic, downloads, and export reports to PDF
Image Manager: Upload and manage landing page images
Audit Trail: View all changes made to records (tamper-protected)

Roles

Super Administrator: Full access to all modules and settings
Central Editorial Admin: Newsroom and editorial management
Verification Officer: Evidence review and verification
MDA Administrator: Records for their specific ministry/agency
Project Officer: Create and update assigned projects
LGA Contributor: Submit local information
Auditor: Read-only access for review

⚠ Security: Admin access requires authentication. There is no public registration. All admin actions are logged in the tamper-protected audit trail.

20. Contact & Feedback

We welcome your feedback, corrections, and questions.

Ways to Reach Us

Corrections: Use the Corrections & Feedback page to report errors in any record
Evidence Desk: Submit photos, observations, or documents via the Citizen Evidence Desk
Ask Benue: Ask questions through the AI assistant
Email: Contact the platform team at the address listed on the Contact page

Editorial & Verification Policy

For details on how data is sourced, verified, and published, read the Editorial and Verification Policy.

💡 Remember: ALIA SCORECARD exists to serve the people of Benue State. Your participation — whether browsing, sharing, submitting evidence, or asking questions — strengthens public accountability.