The Speaker who stressed on transparency in state budgeting and its imperative on good governance, said partnering with BTAN and other bodies would help to strengthen the budgeting process while checking excesses associated with the fiscal act. He also maintained that BTAN and other NGOs were necessary watchdogs that would help scrutinize the budgetary system of the state, adding that the House, considering the critical roles played by organisations like BTAN and others in ensuring fiscal responsibility in governance, decided to charge the House Committees on Finance & Appropriation as well as Due Process, MDGs, International Donor Support & Inter-government/Public Affairs to liaise effectively with relevant stakeholders in the budget process.
The Speaker hinted at his plans to parley with civil society organisations, CSOs, with a view to creating regular interface between the CSOs and relevant committees of the House.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the BTAN delegation, David M. Alobi informed the speaker of their mission to engender accountable budgeting at all levels and sectors through monitoring, analysis and advocacy. He added that the organisation since 2003 has been working on public finance management and tracking in the state with a view to helping bring about accountability and probity in the budgeting process. BTAN he added, would seek the partnership of the House of Assembly in ensuring that the people got value for public funds entrusted to government.
Also speaking, the Board of Trustees Chairman, BTAN, William Itorok observed that the role of BTAN in ensuring transparency in budgeting should not be misconstrued for witch-hunting as the organisation’s aims were to make government accountable and financially responsible for the enhancement of good governance.
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