NGO Helps Open Nigerian Budgetary Process to Public Scrutiny | Voice of America - English
Development experts say corruption has kept Nigerians poor even though the country has abundant mineral and human resources. But ActionAid says it is working to curb the problem. One way is by improving public support for measures to fight corruption, like a recent protest in the capital, Abuja.
ActionAid joined the NigeriaLabor Congress for the rally against corruption. Joining the call were market men and women, students, farmers,artisans, and professional bodies.Oweh Lakemfa is the head ofinformation for the Nigerian Labor Congress. "The essence of the rally," he says, "isto draw attention to the problems of corruption in Nigeria, to ensure thatgovernment does its own part by establishing a judicial commission of inquiry,So far, the government has taken administrative steps so we want something that can compel people and to provide allinformation available, and also to ensure that people are punished and we  think only a judicial commission can do that." The government has yet tocomment on the suggestion to create a commission of inquiry. ActionAid spokesman OtiveIgbuzor describes other steps the group is taking in the fight againstcorruption and mismanagement. "We have been doing a lot ofwork on promoting citizen participation in the budgetary process." he says. "One of theways to deal with corruption is citizens' participation: if they are aware ofwhat is going on, they can prevent corruption." ActionAid is helping publicofficials and NGOs do that with a Center for Budget and Policy Advocacy inAbuja and manuals to help train government officials and NGOs to monitor publicexpenses. For example, the manual on public financeanalysis was used successfully by the Chugwui community in Jos south localgovernment area of Plateau State. With it, activists tracked one million naira,equivalent to $8500:00 US dollars given to their elected counselor to buy atransformer to provide electricity. Igbuzor says ActionAid alsowants better laws to help fight corruption. Those already on the books, hesays, must be enforced. "It is a complex phenomenon," he explains, "and fighting corruption has to be comprehensive starting from education throughlegislation, it has to include components of enforcement and rehabilitation." He says ActionAid ispromoting a comprehensive strategy and a new law to reduce fraud in Nigeria. Alot of laws are on the books, but because of a lack of staffing or a lack ofpolitical will, many are ignored. ActionAid and other NGOstake credit for helping the National Assembly pass laws to make public spendingmore transparent. Among them are theFiscal Responsibility Act, the Procurement Act and the Neiti Act. These Acts require dueprocess and transparency in business deals by oil producers and otherextractive industries, and in government run companies; they also call foraccurate reporting of revenues by the companies. The NGO strongly supports the passage of Freedomof Information Act, which guaranteesthe press access to government budgets and other information involving publicspending. ActionAid hopes the fruitsof its efforts will be available for all to see:  better governance, and economic growth.