An Ebonyi State-based Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Development and Integrity Intervention Goals(DIG) Foundation, have called for the sustainability of the gains associated with the State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and sustainability (SFTAS) through citizen participation, especially with regard to budget processes in the state.
The leader of the civil society groups and Executive Director (DIG) Chief Oliver Ajah- Chima stated this during the final submission of the community charter of demand (CCD) and use of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2023 budget preparation, to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, yesterday.
Presenting the CCD to Mr Orlando Nwaze the Commissioner of Finance, Ajah, expressed joy to be associated with the development of the State and advocates for more and stronger partnership between the Ministry and CSOs in the state, especially the Ebonyi State Core Sectors Budget Advocacy Group.
Ajah noted that the Charter of Demand basically contained the harmonized needs of some Ebonyi communities specifically in the State2State priority sectors of Primary health, Basic education; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), which was developed by the DIG Foundation through community consultations with the support from the USAID State2State.
He then plead with the state government to capture some of the activities not captured by USAID State2State in the State Action Plan Developed by the Ebonyi State Transformation Committee S2S Project.
He, however, lauded the state government for activating the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and the high performances in the World Bank State, Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS).
His words ” Specifically, this group is requesting for the use of Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) developed by the State with support from USAID State2State for preparation of 2023 Budget of Ebonyi State, Civil Society should be carried along in the development of future MTEF.
“The Ministry should make the MTEF available and accessible to CSOs and Citizens, State adoption of Community Charter of Demand (CCD) for 2023 budget preparation and the MDAs to Work closely with CSOs on the CCD development in order to cover more communities especially those LGAs USAID State2State Project is not covering”.
“It is our hope that with this regular meeting, a more cordial relationship and partnership would be built between the Ministry, state government and Civil Society in the state for joint efforts towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals and Democracy.
“We specifically commend the Hon Commissioner for Education, Dr Sunday Nwangene, the director of the ministry for recognizing CSOs and for the cordial relationship “.he stated
Receiving the document, the State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Mr, Orlando Nweze eulogized USAID and DIG Foundation and the State Network of Civil Society Organisations in general, for their partnership with the government in the State.
Nweze, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Mfon Williamson, promised to adopt the document and ensure that some of its recommendations, if not all, shall be factored into the 2023 State budget.
She then urged DIG Foundation and the Network to also route the document through the concerned Ministries, Agencies and Departments for proper documentation regretting that the Ministry has gone far with the 2023 budget preparation process.
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