Senate to partner with CSOs

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Bukola Saraki The Senate on Thursday, February 25 resolved to revolutionizing the relationship between the National Assembly and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to ensure robust public inclusiveness in budget preparation, monitoring and appraisal. This decision followed the consideration of the report of the Committee on Diapsora and Non-Governmental Organisations on the National Assembly interactive Session with CSOs on the 2016 budget proposal. The report headed by Senator Rose Oko representing Cross River north senatorial district, the Chairman of the committee charged CSOs to act as watchmen for future budget implementation.  While relevant stakeholders were called upon to participate in addressing the needs of the public, the senate also called on CSOs to be committed to serving the interest of the public in a non-partisan manner. Sen. Oko said said the CSOs made robust contributions that would help in the preparation , monitoring and appraisal of the 2016 budget proposal and future budget proposals. She also said that the interactive session was aimed at ensuring that there is citizen participation in the decision making process of government. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the Senate President while giving his remarks said the interactive session would encourage public participation in budget processes and governance in general and give citizens the opportunity to air their views. He said the interactive session shows new development in the country which shows how democracy has evolved in the past years. “The budget is not only for us in parliament, with this effort, the general public will have the opportunity to participate fully. “It is therefore important for the executive to ensure early budget presentation so that as we are reviewing it, the public will also have the opportunity to make their contributions. “This is the first time in our democracy that the public has been given the opportunity to add their own comments and express their concerns in the budget process,’’ he said. Meanwhile, six bills passed first reading at plenary. Some of these bills include 2015 Federal Capital Territory(Amendment) Bill 2016 and Nigerian Air force Institute of Technology Bill and 2016 Postgraduate Physiotherapy College of Nigeria Bill 2016. Others are National Land Reform Commission Bill 2016, Foreign Exchange(Control and Monitoring) Bill 2016. and Credit Bureau Services bill 2016.