COVID-19: WARDC tasks FG on transparent spending

•Urge CSOs To Leverage Data To Boost Advocacy Efforts

The Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), in collaboration with Innovation for Change (TIDES) has called for increased usage of data to monitor the Federal Government’s expenses of COVID-19 palliative funds.

At a workshop held recently on the subject matter in Lagos, the group also charged other Civil Society Organisations to be at the forefront of data-based advocacy.

According to the founding director, WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the lack of data analysis for COVID-19 related expenses will increase inequalities in the society.

She explained, “Data has always been recognised as the basic of effective decision-making. It is the raw material for accountability. The country thrives when budgets and contracting data and systems are open, information about government activities is known, there is safe civic space and multi stakeholder participation. These are the pillars of the OGP and Nigeria signed up to the OGP in 2016. Without high-quality data providing the right information on the right things at the right lime, designing, monitoring, and evaluating effective policies becomes almost impossible.

“Emergency situation like COVID-19 creates an enormous challenge to good information and communication and can make it much harder for an emergency response to be as effective as possible. However, information and communication save lives; misinformation or ineffective communication can put those lives at risk.”

Speaking on the involvement of CSOs in the monitoring of the implementation of funds under the Covid-19 emergency support packages, a Professor in Obafemi Awolowo University, Kehinde Olayode noted that promoting transparency and accountability of government institutions is critical for effective emergency response.

He said, “CSOs can participate as members of ad-hoc committees in the distribution of relief materials during national emergency, act as committees responsible for oversight and accountability of funds/relief materials and also participate in consultation and discussions on the adoption of oversight and accountability mechanisms.”

He also added that CSO can monitor and track spending of funds, distribution of relief packages and the implementation of emergency response programmes and also sensitise community members on availability of relief packages, including provision of other critical information.

On the legal basis for receiving and distributing Covid-19 emergency support packages, Dr. Simeon Igbinedion of the department of Jurisprudence and International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos said that there should be insistence on government’s fidelity to existing laws, rules and regulations.

“We should remove the veil of impunity in order to engage the individual responsibility of offenders and there should be legislative reform to make social security matters enforceable in Nigeria.”