The town hall meeting is part of ongoing efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in governance through effective budget monitoring and advocacy in Cross River State.
By Christiana Ofem
A significant town hall meeting focused on budget monitoring, tracking, and advocacy was convened in Cross River, drawing key stakeholders and participants to the Conference Hall of the State Department of Budget and Monitoring.
The meeting, organised by the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative in collaboration with ActionAid, commenced with the registration of participants, followed by opening remarks delivered by Barrister James Ibor, BRCI Principal Counsel.
According to James, the event aims to enhance attendees’ capacity to understand and advocate for transparent and effective budgetary practices.
The Special Adviser on budget to the state Governor, Otu Otu Ita walked participants through the budget by offering participants insights into the state’s financial planning and allocation processes.
Otu pledged that input would be gotten from all relevant stakeholders when preparing the budget.
James facilitated a session on governance, emphasizing the importance of accountability and citizen involvement in budget processes.
A noteworthy segment was the introduction of the Integrated Financial Accountability System (IFAS) to stakeholders; it is expected to improve transparency and streamline budget tracking in the state.
After the tea break Okon Charles, BRCI’s Programmes Officer led a session on budget skills analysis, equipping participants with practical tools to assess and track budget implementations effectively.
Participants also engaged in group work and a plenary session to discuss various budgetary issues and share ideas on advocacy strategies. This segment was followed by a session on advocacy, jointly facilitated by Obanghe Tateh and Okon Charles, where participants were encouraged to actively engage in budget-related advocacy in their communities.
The event concluded with a discussion and Q&A session, allowing participants to clarify issues and exchange perspectives.
The town hall meeting is part of ongoing efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in governance through effective budget monitoring and advocacy in Cross River State.
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