Thursday, September 8, 2011

Communique from Bayelsa Budget Advocacy Workshop

Wednesday, September 7

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE BUDGET ADVOCACY WORKSHOP ON ENHANCING CITIZENS’ PARTICIPATION IN THE BUDGETARY PROCESS IN BAYELSA STATE ORGANISED BY THE AFRICAN CENTRE FOR LEADERSHIP, STRATEGY & DEVELOPMENT (CENTRE LSD) WITH SUPPORT OF PACT NIGERIA FROM 5TH -6TH SEPTEMBER, 2011 AT NIGER DELTA WETLANDS CENTRE, YENAGOA, BAYELSA STATE.

PREAMBLE

The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) with support from Pact Nigeria organized a budget advocacy workshop on enhancing citizens’ participation in the budgetary process in Bayelsa State from 5th- 6th September, 2011. The workshop was attended by Bayelsa State legislators including the Chairman, House Committee on Public Service and Establishment, Hon. Gentle Emelah; the Chairman, House Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Tonye Isenah; legislative aides; academics and civil society organizations. 

OBSERVATIONS

The Workshop observed as follows:

1.   The budget is the most important instrument in any modern state apart from the constitution. But in the past, citizens have not participated effectively in the budgetary process in Nigeria.

2.   Since return to civil rule in Nigeria in 1999, civil society organizations and legislators have been engaging the budgetary process with a view to increasing citizen participation.

3.   Bayelsa State is a major oil and gas producing area and it contributes   a sizeable proportion of Nigeria’s oil and gas production.

4.   Bayelsa State receives a lot of resources from the federation account in line with the 13 percent derivation principle in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Bayelsa State accounts for the highest per capital budget allocation in Nigeria (the total allocation divided by the population of the State).

5.   For participation to be effective, there is the need for information, and timely and meaningful input.

6.   The level of participation of citizens in the budgetary process in Bayelsa State is very low.

7.   The recurrent expenditures in Bayelsa State accounted for 40% to 49% of the total budget expenditure between 2007-2010.

8.   Internally generated revenue in Bayelsa State was estimated to be only 2.57 percent in 2007; 4.98 percent in 2008; 7.99 percent in 2009 and 2.35 percent in 2010.

9.   More than 34 percent of Bayelsans spend more than 40 percent of their income on health. But from 2007-2010, there was no budgetary allocation for mental health, dental health, immunization, care during pregnancy or child birth or emergency.

10.               Analysis of Bayelsa State budget shows that government house and governor’s office received more budget allocation than agriculture, commerce and industry, women affairs and social development, environment and water resources put together from 2008-2010.

11.               The only sector that maintained a steady increase in terms of the percentage share of the budget allocation over the years (2007-2011) was the state house of assembly, government house, and Governor’s office and health sectors.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Workshop recommends as follows:

1.   There is the need for increased participation, transparent and accountable budgetary process in Bayelsa State.

2.   The Bayelsa State Government should increase budgetary allocation to Education, Health, Women Affairs, Agriculture and HIV/AIDS.

3.   The Bayelsa State Government should increase budgetary allocation to capital expenditure. 

4.   The State House of Assembly should organize public hearing with good publicity before enacting the 2012 Appropriation Act.

5.   The Bayelsa State House of Assembly should strengthen its oversight functions and ensure value for money on the implementation of budget in Bayelsa State.

6.   Civil society organizations should network to advocate for rights based budgeting; citizens’ participation in the budgetary process and increased allocation to the social sectors especially education and health.

7.   Civil Society organizations in Bayelsa State resolved to monitor and track Bayelsa State budget as well as expenditure with particular reference to education, health, agriculture and HIV/AIDS.



CONCLUSION

The workshop reiterated the need for citizens participation in the Budgetary process in Bayelsa State.

The participants resolved to do advocacy to push for citizens participation in the budgetary process in Bayelsa State, monitor the implementation of the Budget and advocate for increased budgetary allocation to education and health in Bayelsa State.

The participants commended the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) and Pact Nigeria for the project on enhancing citizens’ participation in the budgetary process in Bayelsa State.

 

Dr. Otive Igbuzor                                        Mr. Torki Dauseye              

Centre LSD                                                 BANGOF

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