A recent community engagement event in Onicha-uku has taken a firm stand in promoting transparency and accountability in the budget implementation process. The project, sponsored by Oxfam in collaboration with Budgit, was designed to equip citizens with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate actively in government financial processes.
According to Pius Okocha, State coordinator for Budgit, the engagement combined presentations, discussions, and interactive sessions designed to educate participants on the intricacies of the budget process. The event focused on the four key stages of budget management: preparation, authorisation, execution, and accountability.
He said the key discussion points during the event included: A comprehensive overview of the budget process and its four key stages: preparation, authorisation, execution, and accountability, the importance of civic engagement in holding government bodies accountable for budget implementation, the critical role citizens play in monitoring and evaluating how fiscal allocations are utilized, the utilisation of innovative tools, such as Govspend and Tracka, which can significantly enhance transparency and encourage active public participation, the community champion initiative, which aims to empower local individuals to lead efforts in ensuring transparency and accountability.
Speaking at the event, Oseh Kelvin, the Youth President said, “Understanding the budget process is crucial. It ensures that fiscal allocations are aligned with public interests and that our voices are heard in the implementation phase. But you know that people are afraid of saying these things because they don’t want to be victimised, what do you do to protect such people”.
“Having information is one thing and knowing how to use it is another thing. I encouraged them no to be violent but to dialogue with their representatives. Let them know that you have this knowledge and that the community is counting on them to use their good office to ensure that this project is executed” Okocha said.
“In an era where accountability in public spending is under constant scrutiny, the Onicha-uku engagement serves as a timely reminder of the critical role that civic participation plays in promoting good governance and ensuring that the needs of the community are at the heart of budgetary decisions” Okocha said.
