Skip to main content

N81.68bn Supplementary Budget: Matters Arising!



By YUSUF GOJE

Regardless of the good intention - anything for us, without us, cannot be for us.

I have been wondering if the Open Government Partnership (OGP) commitment one (Open Budget) covers supplementary budgets in Kaduna state..

The proposed supplementary budget of 81.68bn before the Kaduna State House of Assembly (KSHoA) is about 51.8% of the total 2019 approved budget of N157.45bn; which when passed will take the budget for the year to about N230bn. This is said to be from the World Bank loan approved for Kaduna state.

While I have no personal issue with the loan, because it has a clause that makes it non-discretional (tied to projects) and we are ready as civil society to track its utilization; over the past three years, even with the OGP in place, we have been having supplementary budgets passed without citizen's engagement and inputs, more so, without their initial knowledge. We usually become aware of it just before or after KSHoA passes it into law.

Does that mean that the role of the Civil society as 'co-creators' in OGP commitment one is just superficial when it comes to supplementary budgets?

Are we expected to be a rubber stamp Civil Society co-partners? Due to the fear of being victimized for calling the government to account?

Are we expected to defend what we are not part of? Factoring the IRM assessment of the OGP State Action Plan implementation, when it takes place.

Or are we expected to just fall in line, while we make the rest of the world believe all is well? While those we represent, the wider citizens, think otherwise.

For God's sake, as civil society on the OGP platform, we represent the people; and it is expected that we should amplify their issues and protect their interest through the OGP, and not become satisfied and elitist just because we have access to the government.

What is worth doing, is worth doing well. The OGP commitment on Open Budget says - "ensure more effective citizen's participation in the entire budget cycle". Can we really say, between God and man, that this is the case with the present reality of the supplementary budget before the KSHoA?

OGP stands on the pillars of transparency, accountability and citizen's engagement; therefore, all government actions should be measured on the foregoing.

This supplementary budget is a true test of government's sincerity and commitment to the principles of OGP, and that of the willingness of the civil society co-partners to represent the interest of the wider citizens. We are not just part of the OGP to support the government to score international recognition or favors but to ensure improvement in the quality/quantity of public service delivery and enhance the living standard of the people.

Where the government has done well we must commend and encourage them; so also, where they have fallen short we are duty bound to call them to order and correct them.

My conscience has spoken.

Yusuf Ishaku Goje is a member of the Technical Working Group Commitment one on Open Budget, Open Government Partnership Kaduna

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Coalition cautions against Nigeria's Disunity

  N etwork for Better Nigeria, a coalition of concerned Civil Society Organizations in the 19 Northern States has responded to  the growing tension threatening national unity and socio-economic development of the country and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently collaborate with the governors in the 19 northern states and critical stakeholders to arrest the lingering insecurity in Nigeria. In a joint statement signed by Mallam Isiaku Abdulhameed, the coalition in collaboration with Arewa Youth Consultative Youth Movement, Arewa Youth Assembly and Chanchanta stated inter Alia:  "the Federal Government should urgently collaborate with the Northern State Governors and come up with a modernistic livestock development policy which will not only provide solutions to the herders/farmers crises but transform the age long traditional open grazing towards providing additional economic value for pastoral communities. Equally, we wish to express our support on the position...

Environmentalists re-strategize on governance

A cross-section of environmental strategists at the event Lack of good and well-intentioned environmental governance and social audit for effective monitoring and evaluation of data and procurement have been identified as the major impediment against the climate change campaign in Kaduna state. A leading member of Network of Civil Societies in Environment, Gloria Kasang Bulus, who made this known during a one-day capacity building platform for critical stakeholders working around environment - strengthening the technical working groups; to develop or use tools required for effective engagement with government, urged participants to volunteer wholeheartedly in the task ahead - to mitigate climate change. Bulus who is also the Director, Bridge that Gap Initiative and convener of the network noted that, "Unless and until we are able to partner the government in ensuring outcomes in tandem with the people oriented policies, plans, appropriations; we will be doing next...

Open Budget: Kaduna seeks citizens' input in 2020 Budget

F ollowing sustained campaign by concerned citizens and critical stakeholders in Kaduna state to open up the budget cycle, the Governor el-Rufa'i-led administration, during the week, engaged the representatives of the academia, community-based organizations, the civil society, women groups and individuals on state's 2020 to 2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework(MTEF) to make next year's budget budget realistic and realizable. The event tagged 'Citizens Consultations on 2020-2022 MTEF' which was put together by the state's Planning and Budget Commission with the support of DFID-funded Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL), took a critical look at strategies to forge a people-centered budget with emphasis on transparency, openness and accountability. Co-chair of the Open Government Partnership(OGP) in the state, Alhaji Mustapha Jumare told participants that as a sub national, Kaduna state was indeed a trail brazer in nation's quest ...

Environmentalists intensify action against global warming!

A cross section of the Network of Civil Society in Environment being welcome by the commissioner (Centre) I n a bid to cushion the increasing adverse effects of global warming on the environment, non-state actors under the aegis of Network of Civil Society in Environment (NCSE), during the week in Kaduna, sought for a robust partnership with the state's Environment and Natural Resources Ministry to address numerous environmental challenges facing the state. Receiving the group who were on an advocacy visit to the Ministry, the Honourable Commissioner of Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Ibrahim Garba Hussain expressed delight over the renewed move to mitigate environmental degradation and pledged his support for the initiative. "Climate change is all as result of the activity and action of man. It might interest you to know that the Ministry has put together a comprehensive policy document on environment. That is why I am very pleased to welcome you peo...

SEMA engages Zaria communities on disaster risk reduction strategies

  Executive Secretary, Abubakar Hassan (center) and his team at Zaria By EDDY OCHIGBO V ulnerable communities and wards in and around Zaria and its environs have been sensitized and strengthened to tackle possible disasters, ranging from gully erosion, insecurity, fire and rape vis-a-vis the ongoing environmental hazards awareness campaign across Kaduna state. Keen watchers believe that the move - which is aimed at system strengthening on emergency coordination and response strategy - in collaboration with the United State Agency for International Development's Nigeria Early Recovery Initiative (NERI) would drastically reduce peoples' vulnerability and possible disasters in the state. "To prevent disasters, we must get the people equipped and prepared to understand what constitutes hazards, risks etc., as well as what they should do to identify early warning signs and signals. The exercise is taking place in all the wards and communities in Tudun Wada, Sabon Gari, Zaria Ci...