The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has demanded more transparency and accountability in defence budgeting in Nigeria, condemning the opaque and vague type of budgeting in the defence sector.
The centre recently inaugurated the coordination meeting of steering committee on transparency and accountability in defence budgeting.
The steering committee consists of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the media and relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the sector for shared knowledge and expertise to achieve the goal of the project which is to reduce and subsequently curb corruption in the sector.
Speaking in Port Harcourt at the inauguration of the committee, Hadiza Kangiwa- Board member of CISLAC who represented Auwal Ibrahim Musa, the Executive Director of the centre, said the setting up of the committee was made important by the “need for coordinated approach, the need to share and exchange ideas, develop strategies and it is very important for each of the stakeholders to know what others are doing.”
He added: “If you look at the programme, it entails audit, advocacy and monitoring. Members are expected to come together to gauge their performance and look out for what they have been doing well and what they have not done well and how to improve.
“CISLAC has come a long way and has been able to make it possible for stakeholders in the defence sector to begin to look at what the civil society groups are saying. Before, the attitude was why are they poking nose into matters that do not concern them?
“We expect that at the end there will be more coordinated efforts and collaboration among partners. It will be better for everyone involved and there will be more understanding from the part of government and other stakeholders.”
Also speaking, the Programme Officer of the project, Bertha Ogbimi said the committee is expected to brainstorm on ways to achieve higher level of accountability and transparency in the defence sector.
“MDAs, relevant to security, NASS committee on security are also part of the committee. In fact, the Senate Committee Chairman on Defence, Senator Istifanus Gyang is the co-chairman of the committee,” she added.
Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune at the event, a consultant with CISLAC, Temidayo Saluadeen justified the setting up the committee thus; “We noticed that there were lot of opaqueness within the sector and there is need for us to engage at vertical and horizontal levels to be able to get stakeholders to participate in the process and of course ask critical questions.
“That was why we thought that a committee like this with the calibre of people can sit down and brainstorm and check where gaps exist and look at vulnerability risks within the institutions, where are the corruption, where are the leakages, what can we do differently and systematically.
“We have been able to start today, setting up an agenda where the steering committee can actually begin looking at the budget for insurance, engaging strongly about procurement, among others.
“We have set up a value chain of agenda where the committee can actually create a work plan around and to see the kind of methodology that will help them achieve this. Basically, we think there is a big gap in the system and this gap, if we manage them will help us to secure value that will help us ensure integrity in the system.”
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