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Don urges ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective budget monitoring, implementation

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Don urges ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective budget monitoring, implementation

By: Michael Mike

Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Nile University, Nigeria, Prof. May Nwoye, has implored the ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective formulation, monitoring and implementation of community budgeting for subregional development.

Speaking on the sub-theme: “Improving the Effectiveness and Efficiency of the ECOWAS Parliament in Considering and Monitoring the Community Budget,” at the event with main theme: “The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament in Community Budget Formulation and Monitoring.” Nwoye said
that parliamentarians should be committed to ensuring that the budget always effectively and efficiently aligned with the long-term goal of ECOWAS integration Vision 2050.

Nwoye defined a budget as a financial plan, which forced an institution to map out its goals, control expenditure and keep track of progress to make vision a reality.

The Management Science expert said that effective budget formulation, monitoring and implementation were crucial for achieving both financial stability and ensuring efficient allocation of resources.

“For me, ethical budgeting is the building block of financial management.

“Effective budget formulation is crucial for achieving economic stability, promoting economic growth and ensuring efficient allocation of resources.

“We should take a collective resolve to decolonise our region through ethical budgeting that is goal-oriented, effective and efficient towards the recovery of our ecosystem.

“We must, therefore, tackle the old impediments to be able to confront new imperatives, and contribute in ensuring that  Africans benefit from their resources.”

The academic noted that the subregion was besieged with economic predicaments and was currently faced with the problem of formulating an impeccable system capable of delivering socioeconomic services to the citizenry.

She told the parliamentarians that their bringing financial management issues for discussion at the event showed how important the parliament viewed the goals and programmes of pursuing regional economic development.

Nwoye said that in order to promote ECOWAS’ economic integration vision across the region, which required humongous resources, the lawmakers must be strategic in their plan and intentional in their approach.

“The essence of this event is to encourage parliamentarians to improve on their knowledge of community budget formulation and implementation.

“The event also aims to help participants attain a better understanding on how to mitigate the challenges associated with considering and balancing the community budgets.

“The knowledge of financial management will play a pivotal role in the strategic and operational functions of most of your activities.’’

The expert also stressed the need for parliament to have a cordial working relationship with the ECOWAS Commission and the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) in implementing the 2016 Supplementary Act.

She said that various sectors were competing for the same limited and scarce resources; hence, they were expected to negotiate for adequate allocation of funds by justifying why they wanted the money.

“ECOWAS Parliament should also facilitate collaboration and coordination among the ECOWAS institutions and relevant bodies within the community for effective and efficient budget formulation, monitoring and implementation.

“Implementing effective budget monitoring and control measures is crucial for ensuring that their budgets are accurate and that budget variances are minimised.

“By closely monitoring and controlling the budget, ECOWAS Parliament can identify potential issues and take appropriate actions to address them in a timely manner,” she said.

Nwoye urged the parliament to leverage ICT by deploying budgeting software or tools, which could greatly enhance the effectiveness of budget monitoring and control.

“These tools provide real-time visibility into budget performance, automate data collection and analysis, and generate reports and alerts to keep stakeholders informed,” she said.

She said that to ensure accountability and transparency, the parliament should create a budget oversight committee to oversee the monitoring and control process as well as applying deliberate efforts to regularly track and review budget performance.

Don urges ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective budget monitoring, implementation

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Four Soldiers Injured in Vehicle Accident on Mambilla Plateau

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Four Soldiers Injured in Vehicle Accident on Mambilla Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

Four Nigerian soldiers have sustained injuries in a vehicle accident on the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State.

The accident occurred on Thursday while the troops were moving across the mountainous terrain of the area, Zagazola reports.

The Emir of Mambilla, Dr. Shehu Audu Baju, was said to have personally joined in the rescue operation to ensure that the soldiers received prompt assistance.

Following the rescue, the injured personnel were evacuated to the 20 Battalion Barracks in Serti for urgent medical care.

Community members and traditional leaders in the area have expressed sympathy and prayed for the speedy recovery of the soldiers, while also calling for the safety of other security operatives on duty.

Four Soldiers Injured in Vehicle Accident on Mambilla Plateau

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UKNIAF, NGF Advance Electricity Reform with Nationwide Workshop Series

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UKNIAF, NGF Advance Electricity Reform with Nationwide Workshop Series

By: Michael Mike

The United Kingdom Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), in partnership with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) have wrapped up a major national initiative to support State-led electricity market reforms.

The State Learning Workshop Series focused on Electricity Market Development, Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) and energy modelling software.

Workshops in Lagos, Calabar, Kano and Jos have been successfully completed, drawing participants from all the 36 States and the FCT and setting a strong precedent for what lies ahead.

These sessions equipped policymakers, regulators and stakeholders with the tools to design robust, sustainable and investor-ready electricity markets at the State level, in line with the provisions of the Electricity Act 2023.

Reflecting on the significance of this initiative, the Director-Legal/Head Power Desk at the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Chijioke Chuku,, stated that: “Nigeria’s electricity future depends on the capacity of our States to lead with vision, clarity, and technical precision. Through the workshop series, we are equipping States not just with knowledge, but with the confidence to take charge of their electricity markets. The NGF is proud to partner with UKNIAF in ensuring that the promise of the Electricity Act 2023 becomes a lived reality across the country.”

The sessions in the State Learning Workshops covered: The legal and regulatory pathways for setting up State Electricity Markets; Commercial models for private sector investment; Integration of State plans into Nigeria’s National IRP;

Practical training on the software platform for energy modelling.

The initiative drew from lessons learned in the course of UKNIAF’s work supporting the Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Oyo State Governments—early movers in electricity market development—in setting up their markets.

It also drew from experience gained in the course of UKNIAF providing technical support to the Federal Ministry of Power in drafting both the National Integrated Electricity Policy and Nigeria’s first National Integrated Resource Plan, both of which were approved very recently.

With States now empowered by the Electricity Act 2023, this series is a timely and strategic effort to ensure capacity, coordination, and sustainability in Nigeria’s decentralised energy landscape.

UKNIAF, NGF Advance Electricity Reform with Nationwide Workshop Series

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Three killed, others injured in bandits’ attack on Zamfara community

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Three killed, others injured in bandits’ attack on Zamfara community

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits have killed three persons and injured three others in an attack on Galadi town, Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara.

Sources confirmed the incident saying the attack occurred at about 10:50 p.m. on Aug. 27.

The sources said the bandits stormed the town, shooting sporadically, which resulted in the deaths and injuries.

Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA were mobilised to the scene. The corpses and injured victims were evacuated to Galadi Primary Health Care Centre for autopsy and treatment.

Meanwhile, a manhunt for the fleeing culprits has been intensified, as the bandits escaped before the arrival of the joint forces,” the sources said.

Three killed, others injured in bandits’ attack on Zamfara community

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