Haruna Abdulrashid
As United States Agency for International Development Nigeria State2State is putting more efforts in supporting Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness activity in seven focal states of Adamawa, Awka Ibom, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kebbi and Sokoto, a 5th quarter first Civil Society Organisations Forum meeting was conducted by the Association of Non-Governmental organisations in Gombe.
The event held at the conference hall of Evolution Hotel 23rd to 24th December 2024 was set towards improving advocacy strategy of CSOs in sensitising Government for good service delivery to citizens based on their needs for improving budget performance in the 3 priority areas of Health, Education and Water Sanitation and Hygiene.
Welcoming the participants, The State Team Lead of State2State, Gombe, Muhammad Abubakar, highlighted an overview of State2State supported activities in the seven target states, explaining that in Gombe State, there was increased budget allocation in the three priority sectors in the year 2024. In Health budget rose to 31 per cent month, Education was 5 per cent and while WASH was up to 64 per cent, these represents 32 per cent, 0.4 per cent and 3.7 per cent respectively in total budget process. This also lead to budget participation improved by not less than 50 per cent.
The STL added that, efforts of State2State have led to improved government responsiveness to citizens needs and priority was given when it received 68 community projects requests which were well planed and budgeted for by State Governments.
“CSOs have played a good role in sensitizing government in seeking inputs of citizens of the state in budgeting process. So far, CSOs have appointed committees for monitoring of 2024 budget and revised their action plan to include advocacy for increased spending in Health, Education and WASH,” he added.
Abubakar further explained that the CSOs advocacy led to appointment of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission Board in 2024, then championed the setting of Open Government Partnership and on going State Action Plan, plus advocacy for domestication of disability Act.
Delivering his goodwill message, the acting Chairman of ANGO, Idris Lawanti, thanked the CSOs for attending the second meeting and appreciated State2State for giving ANGO the opportunity with a big support by USAID.
He urged CSOs to play a good role with the intervention received by soliciting to government for good service delivery to be rendered to the citizens of the Gombe State.
In a presentation on the objectives of the meeting, the Citizen Engagement and Capacity Building(CE-CB) Consultant, Mr Emmanuel Bwala, tasked CSOs to adhere to SMART advocacy and strategies in getting effective result.
He said, “CSOs have to create interventions which should include numbers of targeted strategies and persuasive advocacy initiatives, plus efficient inclusive citizen engagement in the 2025 budget implementation process.”
During his presentation, the Director Budget Mr Gideon Maisamari, who represented the Ministry of Budget and Planning, reviewed the 2023/2024 citizen accountability report as presented by the state.
Maisamari explained that in 2023 Gombe State Government budget was N35.85 billion while in 2024 it was N36.25bn showing 99 per cent performance. The revenue drive was N15.17bn which rose to N18.22bn, being an increase to 83 per cent He further gave recommendations for improving 2025 state and Local Government budgets implementation and performance.
The participants had three sector coalition groups relevant to the three priority areas of Health, Eduction and WASH. They reviewed the advocacy strategies employed during the previous advocacy efforts visits to Ministries and MDAs,
The harvest and out comes of the three sector coalition within the period under review of January to November, 2024 shows a result as follows:
The first group on Health led by Hajiya Yelwa Abdullahi, explained that, Maternal Mortality in 2018 was 814/100,000 a ratio of 3 to 1, but in 2024 it was 577/100,000 with a ratio of 1 to 1 in live birth of new born. Showing a reduction in women and children death.
The second group on education, led by Hajiya Halima Mahdi, stated that their advocacy resulted to intervention between Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities in the state and also, Government has employed more teachers in Public Schools. A boost in level of education.
The third group on WASH, which was led by Alh Idris Lawanti, stated that government has delivered positively on water reticulation to new areas and open defecation has averagely reduced showing a level of improvement in the Gombe State.
At the end of the event, the CSOs developed an action plan, including emerging issues and planned for more affective, efficient and inclusive citizen engagement in 2025 budget implementation process to serve the citizens better.
