The Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) has tasked civil society organisations, individuals and groups to demand for openness and accountability from governments at the State and local government levels.
The commission, which stated this in a resolution at the end of a two-day South-South Zonal retreat in Port Harcourt, called on state governments in the country that are yet to demosticate the Fiscal Responsibility Law to do so.
While canvassing for better accountability at the subnationals, it acknowledged the giant strides made in financial accountability and transperancy, stressing the need for it not to regress.
Speaking to newsmen, Chairman of the commission, Barrister Victor Muruako, said the retreat was to liaise with civil societies and other stakeholders in the South-South with a view to promoting transperancy and accountability in governance both at the states and the various local government councils across the zone.
He said it was for this reason that the commission invited relevant stakeholders to the retreat.
“The essence of the programme is for us to come down to the grassroots or sub-nationals to see how we can help the sub-national government officials and members of civil society groups in the South-South zone.
“The aim is to continue to engage with stakeholders and public finance management officials at the sub-national level”, he explained.
Muruako said time has come for both civil society organisations and other stakeholders to demand accountability from States and local governments as they are part and parcel of the Nigerian federation.
“Accountability is not just at the Federal or National level, we all have one economy, there is no different economy for Federal Government and another one for States, it is one Nigerian economy”, he said.
He noted that the concept of fiscal federalism entrenched in the country requires both the federal and sub-national governments to be accountable to the citizenry as far as revenue and expenditure are concerned.
Muruako said his Agency does more of engagement, “we discussed how states can adopt some federal laws, particularly the reform policies of the Federal Government”.
He also called on state governments yet to demosticate the law to do so in the interest of their people.
Speaking on the topic, “Role of Civil Society Organisations in Promoting Fiscal Responsibility”, a High Court Judge, Hon. Justice K. A. Ojiako, called on civil society organisations to play more roles in promoting transperancy and accountability at sub-national governments.
He said they can do this through regular monitoring and over sight anticorruption effort and advocacy campaign.
According to him, civil societies can also take advantage of the Freedom of Information Act to compel governments both at state and local government levels to render account of stewardship to their people.
He said various judicial reforms in the country have made it possible for civil society organisations to seek redress as far as accountability was concerned.

John Bibor, Nancy Matthew