Oxfam tasks North-east stakeholders on participation in budget planning

Oxfam North-east stakeholders on participation in budget planning

Muazu Abari

Stakeholders in the North East states of Adamawa and Borno have been urged to always incorporate the needs of their communities into government budget  through active participation in budgetary process and their monitoring of budget spending.

This was part of issues discussed at a two-day  engagement organised by Oxfam in collaborations with Crudan, YWYEF with funding support from EU and other stakeholders.

The stakeholders were drawn 3 Local Governments of Guyuk, Biu and Kwaya kusar local Governments of Adamawa and Taraba states.

Blueprint reports that the engagement was aimed at enhancing social cohesion, support community development and promote sustainable livelyhoods.

Speaking at the event,  Oxfam Country  Director in Nigeria ,Tijjani Ahmed Hamza, represented by the project cordinator, Mr. Samuel Lashon, urged stakeholders in the North East to always cultivate the habit of participating in budgeting process and constantly engage the government to ensure that their needs and development priorities is always reflected in the budget and also track budget spending.

The country  Director further explained that this would also enhance transparency and accountability in governance, adding that when government budgets reflects the needs and challenges of the people  through their inputs, it would enable them to participate and monitor its implemention.

On her part, Mrs. Ana Vinembres,  Head of Programme Social and Economic participation of Returnees, Internally Displaced Persons and Host communities in North East Nigeria (SEPIN SUSI ) represented by Goni Modu, tasked stakeholders especially local government councils on the need to block all leakages and come out with effective measures to improve their revenue drive for the betterment of their people.

She said this is the surest way to enable them to have the much needed resources to executes meaningful projects that would improve the living conditions of their people at the grassroots .

According to her, there is also the need for stakeholders to ensure that the outcomes  of such engagements is implemented by government  and translates into concrete actions by government.

Also speaking, the Emir of Biu,  Alh. Mustapha Umar Mustapha 11 applauded the organisers for initiating the engagement, noting that it would go a along way to strengthening transparency and accountability in governance.

He assured of his commitments to support the initiative and ensure its success.