The Centre for Human Advancement and Resource Support (CHARS-Africa), Civil Society Organizations, media and legal practitioners and other stakeholders in Abia State have called for serious collaboration to ensure good governance and accountability.
The call came after several meetings organized by CHARS-Africa in different parts of the state, with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, implemented by the International IDEA and funded by the European Union (EU).
New Telegraph reports that the stakeholders that participated in the meeting include government representatives, community leaders, women’s groups, and persons living with disabilities, among others.
The meeting was focused on the awareness, importance and enforcement of the following key legislative frameworks: The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); The Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA); and The Abia State Public Procurement Law (PPL).
At the end of the deliberations, the stakeholders issued a communique where they observed that there is very poor awareness among citizens regarding the availability and application of the FOIA, FRA, and Abia State Public Procurement Law.
The stakeholders also observed that most public institutions in Abia State remain unresponsive to requests made under the FOIA, leading to a culture of secrecy and lack of accountability.
Further observation was made that there is a need for continuous awareness creation through diverse mechanisms.
The stakeholders went further to add in their observation that there should be capacity-building initiatives for State actors, civil society organizations, media practitioners, legal practitioners, women, persons living with disabilities and community groups to better understand the framework and put it to effective use.
They also observed that the Fiscal Responsibility Act has not been domesticated in Abia State, hindering effective fiscal discipline and transparency in governance.
The stakeholders noted that there is an urgent need to institutionalize structured advocacy efforts that will lead to the effective implementation and reform of these legislative frameworks.
To remedy the above observations, the stakeholders resolved that civil society organizations and the media would intensify awareness campaigns to educate citizens on their rights under the FOIA, FRA, and Abia State Public Procurement Law.
The stakeholders agreed they will collaborate to advocate for the domestication of the Fiscal Responsibility Act in Abia State, while CHARS-Africa should facilitate training programmes for relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), civil society actors, journalists, and community leaders to enhance their capacity in utilizing these legislative frameworks.
They also resolved that a multi-stakeholder platform will be established to foster continuous engagement between civil society, government agencies, the judiciary, and the media.
Further resolutions include that strong advocacy efforts will be strengthened to demand institutional responsiveness and compliance with information disclosure and procurement laws.
They also charged that CHARS-Africa, in collaboration with key stakeholders, will develop a strategic advocacy framework for legislative reforms and sustained policy engagement.
