Experts and other stakeholders are gathering in Port Harcourt, Rivers State today, for the unveiling of a final report on budget monitoring and expenditure tracking in Nigeria, especially in the South-south geo-political zone.
The report to be unveiled is the outcome of the “Deepening Expenditure Line Tracking for States and Local Governments in the Niger Delta” project undertaken by the Regional Accountability Centre: Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG). The various components of the project have been compiled into a book titled ‘The Oil Money and You’.
This was contained in information provided by the Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer of the Regional Accountability Centre of NDEBUMOG, Port Harcourt Head Office, Mr. George-Hill Anthony. The unveiling is to take place in Port Harcourt on May 22 (today).
The report, according to Anthony, is divided into six chapters. The first chapter is the background, which gives an overview of the expanded scope of the project.
The second chapter is summary of DELT4SLOG II Desk Review, an exercise in which about 5,616 projects were reviewed. Chapter 3 is on building capacity of stakeholders, and provides a report of the proceedings and deliverables from the two capacity building workshops that were held for stakeholders in the project.
Chapter four provides the results of capital projects and programmes selected for tracking in the states. In this chapter, he noted, the findings of the tracking exercise carried out in each of the four states and two local governments are analysed separately, and ultimately linked to the relevant Millennium Development Goals and Targets, which they are intended to address, since the sectors under review (health, public works and education) are key to some of the Goals.
The performance of some NDDC and Federal Projects in the states are also analysed separately as a sub-head in chapter four.
In chapter five, recommendations are offered to various stakeholders, such as budget formulators, civil society organisations, community stakeholders and other interested parties.
Chapter six gives the overview of the implementing organisation, Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG), its mission, vision, some of its recent activities and accomplishments.
By Abimbola Akosile