RoLAC, FRC, Others Seek Domestication of Fiscal Responsibility Act to Promote Accountability

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos 

Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC), Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) and other stakeholders in anti-corruption drive have advocated strict adherence to the principles of fiscal responsibility in public governance, calling for the domestication of the Fiscal Responsibility Act in the sub-national levels of government to promote transparency and accountability.

The call came during the North Central Zonal Summit of Fiscal Responsibility Institutions funded by the European Union (EU) and being implemented by International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA) held in Jos the Plateau State Capital.

The two-day engagement themed: ‘Integrating the Citizens into Fiscal Decision-Making in States and Local Governments: Insight from Fiscal Responsibility Act,’ is aimed at ensuring the dividends of democracy reach the people as expected with prudence in financial management.

Addressing participants at the summit, Executive Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), Victor Muruako harped on the need for citizens’ participation in fiscal decision-making, stressing that such will promote transparency and accountability which are essential components of good governance.

Represented by his Special Adviser, Chris Uwadoka, the FRC chairman said that the essence of the summit was to facilitate the domestication of the Act by sub-nationals.

He maintained that the theme of the summit underscores the importance of strengthening fiscal responsibility and promoting citizen participation in public finance management at the sub-national level.

He said: “Transparency and accountability are essential components of good governance. The public has the right to know how public funds are being allocated, spent, and managed. This includes information about budget proposals, expenditure reports, and audit findings.

“By promoting transparency, we can empower citizens to hold public officials accountable and ensure that public resources are used efficiently and effectively. 

“Recent initiatives such as the Open Government Partnership, the Freedom of Information Act, and the Sustainable Fiscal Frameworks (SFF) have made significant strides in promoting citizen participation and accountability in public finance management.

“These reforms aim to strengthen transparency, enhance public oversight, and improve service delivery.” 

The representative of RoLAC and International IDEA, Mr. Pwanakim Mantin Dala, said citizen’s participation in the management of resources is key for any government operations across various levels especially at the grassroots.

“The Fiscal Responsibility Act looks beyond releasing budgetary information to the public; it looks at how the fund is being applied. It also looks at what the funds were allocated for and whether the funds were properly utilized for the purposes.

“So that you’re not spending so much for so little and that’s what this engagement is all about”, he explained.

On his part, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, represented by the Commissioner of Finance, Mrs. Grace Dongkum, assured that the state was already in the process of domesticating the fiscal responsibility Act to further strengthen government operations.

He said: “The Fiscal Responsibility is an integral part of government especially financial management because it is about transparency.

“One thing about transparency is that you manage the resources in such a way that it meets the critical needs of sectors and still have resources for future use. Fiscal Responsibility and Act wants to ensure that we don’t finish everything we have right now; we think of the future.

“So, in decisions that we will make, we are being transparent, and we situate projects or services in such a way that they will have long-lasting effect, and also ensure that the future benefits from the decisions that are taken now.”