CSOs Vow To Track N28.7trn 2024 Budget Implementation  

Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CCSO) under the aegis of Community Advancement and Humanitarian Empowerment Initiative in Nigeria (CSCHEI), on Thursday, unveiled plans to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the N28.777 trillion Appropriation Expenditure for the 2024 fiscal year.

Recall that the Appropriation Bill, which was passed by the National Assembly during a special plenary session held on Saturday, December 30, 2023, was signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday, January 1, 2024, at the State House, Abuja.

The group’s Director General, Hon. Kunle Yussuf, gave the assurance via a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, affirming that the Civil Society Organizations remained an important source of information for both citizens and the government.

According to him, “as an umbrella platform for coordinating, organizing, mobilizing, and promoting NGOs, CBOs and FBOs within the scope of community advancement and humanitarian empowerment, it’s our responsibility to monitor Government policies and also hold various agencies, commissions responsible, and accountable appropriately.

“Budget control mechanisms are the processes of managing, monitoring, and adjusting cash flow to ensure both human development and infrastructural development tracking. It’s important for the Civil Society Organizations to work with Government to ensure transparency and accountability for enhancement of Social Economic Development Indicators, Gross Domestics Products (GDP), Life Expectancy, Literacy, Levels of Employment, Environmental Sustainability, Basic and Secondary Education, and Social Dignity in our country.

“At this critical time of economic challenges in our dear country, every hand must be on the desk for fairness and equity. The era of wasting or stealing taxpayers’ money should be a foregone issue in Nigeria.

“CSCHEI will work with relevant Federal Government establishments in making sure that every budgetary provision is spent judiciously.

“In 2024, we are prepared to work with the desk officer of Mr. President on Monitoring and Evaluation, Sustainable Development Goals, National Assembly Committees on Public Accounts, Bureau of Public Procurement achieve desirable goals. The Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President would not be achieved if 2024 budgetary provisions lack meritorious monitoring and evaluations.

“We will engage Director General of Budget on the reasons for Nigeria Delta Development Commission to get budget of 338. 94 billion and Universal Basic Education in Nigeria get 263.04 billion

and the North East Development Commission also gets a budget of 131. 836 billion, while the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency in Nigeria will get 131.522 billion.

“CSCHEI applauds Mr. President for the appointment of seasoned administrator and experienced lawmaker as Chief of Staff. CSCHEI will soon announce a standing committee that will be involved in all the bidding processes, projects awarding documentation, and implementation of the project to completion and handover.

“May I also use the opportunity to share with you that CSCHEI is prepared in partnership with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, to provide training for education administrators in Nigeria, training for NGOs and CBOs on intelligence gathering reporting, Integration of Sustainable Development Goals, Extremism. Radicalisation, Cybersecurity Crime Advocacy, Climate Change/Actions Financing, Environmental Hazards Preparation, Documentation on Grants Accessibility, Food Security Advocacy, Emergency and Disasters, Tax Reforms Advocacy, and Needs Assessments Documentations.

“As a link between Government and masses, in 2024, appropriate information will be disseminated, Government Policies will be monitored, Government Officials will be held accountable to be responsible and citizenry will be encouraged to be civil and perform their obligations.”