By Anule Emmanuel
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) on Monday challenged the Federal Government to set up effective mechanisms for scrutinizing procurement expenditures of security agencies in the country to restore public trust in Nigeria’s efforts to fight criminality.
Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani stated this during the lauch of the 7th edition of its shadow report 2024 of the Sustainable Development Goal’s 16 on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
CISLAC shadow report assessesNigeria’s progress towards achieving key targets under SDG 16—promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions.
The civil society organisation is worried that achieving SDGs 16 in Nigeria remains a daunting task as the country faces array of challenges including economic and social crisis at proportional levels and insecurity as an existential threat to the country’s progress.
According to Rafsanjani “The report reveals that in 2023 alone, 4,427
individuals were kidnapped in 227 mass abductions, marking a
sharp increase in organized crime. Despite an expanded
defense and security budget, the rise in insecurity underscores
the deep-rooted issues within our security framework.”
The CISCLAC Director explained that a situation where Nigeria generated N5.99 trillion in revenue but spent N19.50
trillion resulting in a staggering N13.50 trillion
deficit, should also be of concern to people who mean well for the country as such stark fiscal imbalances represent a massive
obstacle to sustainable development.
Among recommendations made by the CISCLAC in its report are that the National Assemblymust take a more active role in scrutinizing budget proposals and expenditures.
“Increased public participation in the budget process will foster greater accountability and ensure that public resources are used effectively,” the report noted.
CISCLAC also recommended that the Nigerian government should take active
steps to safeguard press freedom by ensuring that journalists can operate without fear of arrest, intimidation, or violence.
