Dogara Calls for Stronger Oversight in Nigeria's Budget

On Tuesday, Yakubu Dogara, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, expressed concerns regarding the widening gap between government budget approvals and the actual delivery of projects and services in Nigeria. Speaking at the National Assembly's open week in Abuja, he called for stronger collaboration between the National Assembly and civil society organizations (CSOs) to improve accountability.

Dogara emphasized that effective oversight should extend beyond committee inspections and official reports, urging lawmakers to ensure public funds are properly utilized to achieve intended objectives. He lamented that despite 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance and significant financial allocations, Nigerians still do not feel the impact of democracy.

He noted that a major challenge is the failure to adequately monitor and enforce the implementation of approved projects and policies. Dogara called for deeper involvement of CSOs in parliamentary oversight, highlighting their vital role in monitoring projects and public expenditure.

He encouraged civil society participation during budget defense sessions and urged the National Assembly to establish a permanent framework for collaboration with these groups.