Budget Advocacy &
Monitoring
Goal
Pact Nigeria, under the ADVANCE program, entered into a partnership
with ActionAid Nigeria to implement a set of budget advocacy
activities aimed building the capacity of key civil society
organizations to participate effectively in national and state
budget process. The budget process is defined as a continuum that
includes formulation, preparation, presentation, revisions, and
implementation. This project is intended to enhance civil society
capacity at all levels of the process.
Activities and Accomplishments for 2006
•
In February 2006,
Pact Nigeria/ADVANCE supported a workshop on Sectoral analysis of
the 2006 budget attended by 45 civil society organizations.
•
On March 10,
2006, ADVANCE supported a panel discussion on mainstreaming gender
in budgets, MDGs and NEEDS
framework.
•
Civil society
organizations’ Mapping exercise of advocacy groups and institutions
engaged in budget performance monitoring and advocacy completed
•
Completion of
civil society organizations Guide to Monitoring Budget Performance
on the MDGs
•
In August,
signing of a four-year, $1.24 million sub-recipient agreement with
ActionAid Nigeria.
•
Sensitization of 25 Journalists representing
electronic and print media on reporting budgets and expectations for
budget 2007
Civil
Society Advocacy on the Fiscal Responsibility Bill
The
passage and implementation of a Fiscal Responsibility Bill (FRB) is
central to the sustained implementation of prudent fiscal policy,
strengthens government’s economic reforms, sets guidelines for
budgetary processes, and combats corruption at the public sector.
Accomplishments
•
CISLAC is
coordinating a loose network of NGOs currently engaging the
Executive and Legislatures to ensure focused and timely input into
the National Assembly review of the Fiscal Responsibility Bill.
•
On April 2,
ADVANCE supported a Stakeholders’ Forum on the Draft Fiscal
Responsibility Bill in Abuja. The event was attended by 42 civil
society organizations representatives and included media and the
private sector.
•
CISLAC organized
a Media Roundtable May 14-15 to strengthen the understanding and
capacity of the media to report on the FRB. Over 60 journalists from
all over the country attended the Roundtable.
•
CISLAC/Pact
coordinated a Civil Society-Legislative Dialogue on the FRB in
Kaduna on June 2.
•
CISLAC/Pact coordinated the participation of a
loose network of civil society organizations at the Public hearing
of the FRB in September 27-28
•
As a result of
these accomplishments, the input of civil society organizations is
represented in the report of the public hearing.
•
The National
Assembly, the executive, and the private sector are now working more
closely with civil society organizations on reviewing/revising the
FRB
•
CISLAC and its
partners input has increased understanding of the constitutional and
administrative challenges implied in the current version of the FRB
before the two Houses.
