Citizens’ ability to track NDDC budgets will rebuild trust – Groups
The Buhari Media Vanguard (BMV) and other interest groups have called for avenues to facilitate the tracking of monies deployed to and spent by, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to ensure judicious use of the resources.
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The groups in a communique issued at the end of a meeting on Tuesday in Abuja, said that citizens’ ability to track budgets and follow expenditure was key to rebuilding citizens’ trust in governments.
The one-day emergency meeting was organised by the national leadership of BMV in partnership with the Transparency Monitors Online (TMO), Niger Delta.
The communiqué was signed by Mr. Ade Olaitan of BMV (south west); Pastor Donatus Ovie, Centre for Public Integrity, Delta state, and six other leaders of various groups.
The emergency meeting focused on media attacks on the federal government, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, and the interim management committee of the NDDC.
The media reports had focused on alleged misuse of N40 billion made available to the commission by the federal government.
The groups, in the communiqué, said that the only way to rebuild citizens’ trust in governments and to enable citizens and governments work together to build a better future was for those in authority to make it easy for the followership to track budgets.
“The followership, who are the ultimate beneficiaries of projects, must be encouraged and supported to follow the money from resources to results.
“Citizens and the independent media as well as appropriate anti-corruption crusaders must be able to hold leaders accountable, especially in the Niger Delta states,” the communiqué said.
It said that the population of the Niger Delta region was expected to double by 2030, with half of the total figure under the age of 25.
It added that an estimated 2.1 million people in the Niger Delta would, thus, enter the labour market.
“This reality poses an opportunity or risk to the region, depending on whether the state governments are able to harness the potential of the youth.
“The ability and willingness of governments to be responsive to their citizens and invest in measures that create lasting economic growth and development will determine the future; it is our responsibility to advocate compliance to best practices.
“Adequate and effective measures must be taken to rebuild citizens’ trust in governments and to enable citizens and governments work together to build a better future.
“Citizens must be able to track budgets and follow the money from resources to results. Anti-corruption crusaders must be able to hold leaders accountable.”
The communique stated that meaningful steps toward making the vision of a prosperous Niger Delta a reality must be taken at the youth stakeholders’ summit scheduled for May 29.
