CISD Urges Sokoto, Others To Prioritise Fiscal Transparency, Public Engagement

Centre for Inclusive Social Development (CISD), a civil society advocating for transparency and accountability, has urged the Sokoto State Government to prioritise fiscal transparency and public engagement.

This call follows accusations of fiscal opacity and the government’s dismissal of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as lacking constitutional mandates.

In a statement signed by Research Analyst Temitope Odeyemi, CISD emphasised that transparency and accountability are cornerstones of good governance and democracy. “States are not private enterprises, and dismissing accountability undermines the very fabric of democracy,” Odeyemi noted.

The organisation argued that citizens have a right to know how public resources are managed, stressing that budget documents are public documents that should be accessible to all, including civil society organisations (CSOs).

CISD criticised the Sokoto State government for its defensive stance, stating that addressing fiscal gaps raised by CSOs, rather than silencing criticism, is essential for progress. “Criticising NGOs for exposing gaps does not address those gaps; it perpetuates them,” the statement readS.

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The organisation called for constructive civic engagement, emphasising collaboration between governments and CSOs, such as CISD, EiE, and PLSI, that could strengthen governance and public finance management processes. BudgIT highlighted that transparency and accountability were principles Sokoto State had committed to during the implementation of the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme.

According to the organisation, the reluctance to embrace accountability and collaborate with CSOs undermines the principles of democracy.

The statement called on the Sokoto State government to view governance challenges as opportunities for collaboration and improvement rather than grounds for censorship.

It reiterated its commitment to promoting good governance through transparency and accountability, calling on the Sokoto State government to embrace partnership and constructive criticism for the benefit of all stakeholders.