Citizens Harps on Social Accountability, Participatory Auditing in Kaduna
By: Femi Mustapha
A team of Civil Society organizations and media under the auspices of Open Government Partnership OGP has harped on the need for Nigerians to engage in Citizens Participatory Auditing (CPA), saying it is a constitutional and civic responsibility.
This was disclosed during an advocacy visit to the Office of the Auditor General of Kaduna State today.
Speaking during the meeting, the Citizens Co-Chair of Open Budget Practices Mr. Seth Luke said the objective of the meeting is to deepen the understanding of participants in participatory auditing and to design a zero draft of the CPA
framework.
In his Presentation titled ‘Understanding Social Accountability &
Participatory Auditing ‘Mr. Yusuf Ishiaku Goje of Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism (KADLAGAM) said that the primary goal of CPA is to empower and enable citizens to hold government officials accountable for the use of public funds and resources.
According to him, CPA will help to ensure value for money as it involves the active engagement of citizens in auditing and overseeing government programs, projects, and expenditures at various levels of governance.
Mr. Goje who is the Team Lead of CALPED stressed that this is aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance by involving citizens in the monitoring and evaluation of public sector activities which can be achieved through enhancing the effectiveness of traditional auditing processes with the incorporation of the perspectives and inputs of citizens who are directly affected by government policies and programs.
The CALPED Team said, “Experience has shown that involving citizens in the public audit processes tends to make audit agencies more compliant with audit recommendations, thereby resulting in improved quality in the delivery of services.
“Partnership with Citizens in conducting performance/compliance audits and availing of citizen partnerships in other areas gives more voice to citizens and empowers them to become more actively involved in activities to improve good governance.”
He added that CPA covers a wide range of government activities, including infrastructure projects, social welfare programs, healthcare services, education initiatives, environmental conservation efforts, and public procurement procedures.
Speaking of having effective participatory auditing, Mr. Goje said it would require the capacity building of citizens to understand public finance management, budgetary processes, and auditing procedures, “Training programs, workshops, and educational campaigns need to be conducted to equip citizens with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate effectively in auditing activities.”
Some anticipated challenges of CPA, as highlighted by the Team Lead include, limited resources, political interference, limited access to information, and the potential for retaliation against whistleblowers”
However, Mr Goje stressed that CPA offers opportunities for promoting civic responsibility engagement, strengthening democratic governance, and fostering trust between citizens and government institutions.
He, therefore, advised that audit agencies or oversight bodies should hold consultations or forums where citizens can provide input or express concerns about specific audit or audit processes.
“Publicly accessible feedback forms or surveys that allow citizens to voice their opinions or report issues regarding government spending or financial management should be made available. There should be transparency in releasing audit reports to allow citizens to review findings and follow up on recommendations.
“Local government meetings or Town Halls can be platforms where citizens can discuss audit findings or suggest areas for future audits. In some jurisdictions, citizens participate in oversight committees that oversee or review audit processes.”
In his welcome remarks, the Auditor General of Kaduna, Abubakar Abdullahi, opined Kaduna State is poised to improve the credibility and participation of citizens in its audit process.
He explained that the Office of Auditor General of the State is responsible for auditing the accounts, financial operations, and performance of government ministries, departments, and agencies.
“Our mission is to ensure that government resources are utilized efficiently, transparently, and in the best interest of the citizens of Kaduna State. By conducting independent and impartial audits, we promote accountability and good governance in the management of public resources
We prepared to work with the Civil Society to ensure fiscal transparency in the state through an open audit process.” He said
