Proactive Vigilance: How Citizens can hold their government accountable
Oludotun Babayemi
July 18, 2016
“Abeg, you cannot come and fix a programme that will start at 8 am on a Saturday morning, I will not be able to attend, please postpone it for another day or cancel it” responded Ijiwere to her colleagues, who wanted to visit another friend; “Let me tell you, If you want me to come for that ‘owambe’ party on Saturday, then you should let it start at 10 am” affirmed Giringori, to his friends who were planning an event for Saturday.
“Imagine, those my friend wanted to suggest 8 am as a time for that party, I totally disagreed, and told them Jigida will be aired on radio at that time, and that is the only way I can report the lack of water in Kagara” said Giringori to his elder brother – Ijiwere.
These are the kind of conversations that go on in Kagara community, with everyone looking forward to Jigida, a weekly, one – hour radio programme that allows for citizens to call – in and express their community needs, which afterwards are been documented and sent to the various local government chairmen, and State House of Representative for response and decisions to be made. That’s not all, the first 30 mins of the programme is dedicated to the Councillor of the community sharing with the community, how much and what they will be spending on in the week. This is what proactive vigilance is all about!
Although proactive vigilance or public participation in budgeting or government spending is relatively new, the evidence attesting to its impact on resource allocation and service delivery is growing. Many of the existing findings are based on the well-known Brazilian experience with participatory budgeting, established first in Porte Alegre in 1989, and now replicated in over 40 countries around the world. Nigeria, is not left out as well, as its government hopes to encourage citizen participation, with its recent commitment to joining the Open Government Partnership, a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance.
You might be wondering, how many – landlord associations,vigilante groups, market women associations, community development associations, we have in rural communities. A lot of them! When are we going to start having “project vigilante” in rural communities, that will become voices of several communities, because by the time you wake up tomorrow morning, the news will be agog with “one billion dollars to be released to provide water in Kagara” only to go to Kagara after one year, you will find out that Kagara has no water source or a broken water source. Quite pathetic, and that’s is the way we are – the leaders and followers.
Nevertheless, I am excited that the Story Story writers at BBC Media Action are focusing on how citizens at the local government level, can be proactively vigilant on such issues of government spending in their communities, and I recently had some hours of session brainstorming with the crew, on how citizens can become vigilant themselves, I hope all will be reflected in their popular radio drama coming up sometimes in fall. Thanks to Nkem, our Reseach Lead on government finance, who took some notes on the highlights, and I have added them below:
Citizens can at every stage of this budget cycle engage their various government, but limited participation is expected during during formulation
- There is the local government or state government budget, a document that highlights government spending and revenue which can be for a financial year, or a multiyear.
- The Budget has its on cycle starting from formulation (when Ministry, Department, Agencies, put together their budget), to enactment (when the national or state legislative arm assent to the budget), to implementation (the stage at which contractors start executing projects in your communities), and lastly, the assessment stage (where everyone assesses the implementation of the budget, to provide feedback on how the next stage should look like)
- At every stage of the budget, citizens can make noise about their plight, and join in the conversation. They can form themselves as vigilante group or association, and always knock on the door of their local government officer or Councillor.
- They can forward a freedom of information request letter to the local government chairman to request for their budget immediately it passes the enactment stage, and even ask more question like who is the contractor, what is the work plan for the project, how much is the contractor getting, and when will the project be concluded. Here is an example of a freedom of information letter if you want to write one
- Government at the local government and state government level should starting providing platforms as well, for the assesement stage. E.g. using local radio programmes like Jigida, create a referendum mechanism for your local government area for people to have their say on projects proposed for next financial year. It should not be only during elections, that citizens see chairmen of local government or governors of states canvassing for votes.
- Like I always say, the budget is not only the means by which government declare their spending, in fact 50% – 60% of what’s on it might not be relevant. The other way is to always listen to the state news on your local radio, projects will be announced at all times, especially when they are project funded by other partners, such as the federal government or international donor agencies.
Ijiwere and Giringori have decided to do away with social gatherings, and focus on becoming a vigilante for community projects in Jigida, and if you are reading this, you should be towing same way, and you should share this piece. I look forward to the final drama series on this – If you have listened to Story Story, Voices from the Market program, then you should be more expectant. See you all in Kagara town, listening to Jigida on radio!
From left, Oludotun Babayemi, Nkem and the BBC Media Action Writers
This is your child’s life you are talking about. Type 1 diabetes is a autoimmune disease.
The pancreas and it’s insulin producing abilities are destroyed by the body’s own immune system response.
The cause is not really known but scientists believe
type 1 diabetes to be genetic. They also admit that there are certain environmental issues that can cause the
problem. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is dedicated to finding both the cause and a cure
for this terrible disease.
Well, one of the ways that Type 1 diabetes presents itself is through
our usage of Bovine protein albumin, which is a substance found in cow’s milk that triggers insulin dependency by provoking an auto-immune response.
These antibodies found in some Type 1 diabetics, interfere with the production of insulin throughout the pancreatic cells.
Individuals under the age of 30, account for most of the Type 1
diagnosis.
Whats up this is somewhat of off topic but I was wanting to know if blogs use WYSIWYG
editors or if you have to manually code with HTML.
I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding experience so
I wanted to get advice from someone with experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!
Nice response in return of this difficulty with firm arguments and telling all on the topic of that.
Second, because teams are so familiar with others in their own conference, look to bet on teams with revenge.
If a team has lost twice or even three times against a specific
opponent in the current season, there’s a strong likelihood that they will be apt to making up for it in the current game.
Here’s an example: if you placed £10 on a horse that won at 5/1 you would get your stake
of £10 plus £10 x5 =£50 giving you total winnings of £60.Sometimes
you will hear that the odds have shortened on a particular horse/team and
this just means the chances of the particular selection winning have improved.
The gestational diabetes diet plan must meet the nutrition as well as weight
gain needed for the normal pregnancy. In the first trimester the gain in weight must be
in the range of 2 pounds to 4 pounds. After this an added pound
is enough in every week of second as well as third trimester.
You can find websites that offer discounts to people for buying in bulk and
it be free. One of the best places to find companies that sell supplies is to look in your local
newspaper or classified ads section. You never know when someone
just ordered supplies and got to much or cannot use them.
They will be willing to sell them cheap or just give them
to you, but make sure they have not been opened or used.
Hi there, yup this paragraph is in fact nice and I have learned lot of
things from it concerning blogging. thanks.
What we do have a choice about is whether to fear them, deny them, or (the
obvious best choice) be open to them and make our feelings our friends.
Only in this way can we be responsible for our behavior with ourselves and with others.
If you’re not making a decision, you will use your feeling data to
take charge of yourself so that you can go from angry and frustrated to calmness because you
understand your anger, where it’s coming from and you’ve put yourself in charge of it.
Congratulations!
It might surprise you to know that actually, “desirable” and “forbidden” food such as what we so
often crave, junk food, is really a programmed message we’ve ingrained because of what the media says
is desirable.
With his vast experience, Geary has shared the most effective
exercises that guarantee rock-hard abdominal muscles.
Contrary to popular belief, exercises like crunches, sit-ups and abs machine are the least effective methods.
What i don’t understood is actually how you’re no longer actually a lot more smartly-favored than you might be now.
You are very intelligent. You recognize thus significantly with regards to this
subject, made me personally imagine it from so many various
angles. Its like women and men don’t seem to be interested until it
is something to do with Girl gaga! Your personal stuffs outstanding.
Always handle it up!
Be sure to consume a low-fat diet that is rich in vitamins and high in fiber.
As they may be harmful to you and the baby, do
not adopt the philosophy of any fad diets. Not only can they be detrimental to your health in general,
but they may delay the recovery process.
Yoga is an effective way from ages to maintain healthy
body as it rid extra flab from body. Some of the yoga asana stimulating lethargic thyroid glands
to increase hormonal secretions to reduce weight.
I’m amazed, I must say. Rarely do I encounter a blog that’s both educative and entertaining, and without a doubt,
you have hit the nail on the head. The issue is an issue
that not enough men and women are speaking intelligently about.
I am very happy that I stumbled across this during my search for something concerning this.
I am in fact grateful to the ower of this web page
who has shared this fantastic post at at this place.
My web site; Clyde
If these decisions don’t fulfill the princess in you, the final word in 14-karat
gold nails will be customized crafted by a jeweler to suit your fingers alone.
The polish debuted on Rihanna’s nails at the 2012 Grammy Awards.
To have a good time the 50th anniversary of the James
Bond film franchise and the release of the most recent installment, “Skyfall,” OPI will launch a shade referred to as “The Man with the Golden Gun” in October 2012.
The topcoat has real 18-karat gold flakes, providing you with a
gilded shimmer at solely $38 a bottle. Almost each nail polish brand out there has a gold
coloration in its assortment, however what if you want something somewhat totally different, more dramatic,
maybe with the thriller and elegance of James Bond?
The only different provides you’ll need are nail polish and topcoat.
Whereas some gold medals are solid gold, others are gold-plated
or silver-gilt, like those of the Olympic Games,
the Lorentz Medal, the United States Congressional Gold Medal and the Nobel
Prize medal. I do not do it a lot, but it surely does
happen every so often. As an example: One of many stones can depict the day you first attained
whereas a second gem may symbolize your marriage ceremony, and so on.Remember you’ll have
as many stones because the ring permit to symbolize any day you see particular to remember.
With this number, a lot of cases are undiagnosed and obtain no management and treatment until the disease is well highly developed.
Even though it is known to have a genetic component, its specific pattern of transmission is unknown.
Damage to the nerves can cause the loss of feeling in your feet.
One cannot easily detect cold or hot, neither can you feel pain as easily or readily as someone
who does not have diabetes. This is why diabetics get infections so frequently from something like
a simple small cut on the foot. When a person is unable to feel the cut, they do not
realize it is there. With no first aid, that cut can easily become infected.
Thanks a lot for sharing this with all of us you
actually recognize what you are speaking approximately!
Bookmarked. Please additionally talk over with my website =).
We may have a hyperlink trade contract among us
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice even as you amend
your website, how can i subscribe for a weblog website?
The account helped me a applicable deal. I have been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered shiny transparent concept
You need to go in for regularly brushing and flossing your
teeth twice daily. Never forget to floss before
bedtime. You may want to purchase a gum massager which
is available at cheap rates nowadays. This will prevent
build-up of bacteria and plaque which is the main cause for
teeth discoloration. Once you get into a regular habit of cleaning your teeth, you can prevent your teeth from getting stained.
The best thing about this procedure is the absolute lack of pain and all of us who are quite scared of the dentist chair need not feel apprehensive at all when going for
cosmetic dentistry. Modern equipment and materials
have ensured that corrective action can be
taken quickly and without discomfort.
I have been browsing online more than 4 hours
today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours.
It’s pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all web owners
and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be a lot more useful than ever before.
There are several saying about how big bankroll you’ll need
to have in order to sit down on a specific table,
and if we should go by the basic rule for your bankroll you should have 50-100 times the maximal buy-in at the table when you play Texas Hold’em
No Limit.
Let’s get into the pertinent world then. What are the best benefits?
The first and foremost is that internet casino is the best alternative
to traditional casino known hitherto and through visiting it
from the comfort of your own home, you can save a lot of time and effort in the process.
Internet casino due to its intrinsic traits function just like regular
ones, put into operation the same rules and
offer similar winnings to their clientele.
With all these benefits associated with onion and garlic
it is apparent that eating dishes with these herbs is more than just a meal but a great investment in one’s medium to long-term health.
Seriously, do you not understand that if you do not work in time to take care of your body, in the long run if won’t be able to take care of you.Why is our
mindset such that we feel we do not have to do anything what so ever to maintain this miracle that is us?
We just think in seconds, or minutes. A world of texting
and fast food.
Howdy! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers?
I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any recommendations?
It’s amazing to visit this website and reading
the views of all friends concerning this paragraph, while I am also eager of
getting knowledge.
I’m not positive where you are getting your info, however
great topic. I needs to spend a while learning
much more or working out more. Thank you for fantastic information I used
to be searching for this information for my mission.
This is the right web site for anyone who would like to understand this topic.
You understand so much its almost hard to argue with you (not
that I personally would want to…HaHa). You certainly put a brand new spin on a topic which has been written about for decades.
Excellent stuff, just great!
What’s Taking place i am new to this, I stumbled
upon this I have found It absolutely helpful and it has helped me out loads.
I am hoping to contribute & assist other users like its helped me.
Good job.
Today, I went to the beach front with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to
her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is entirely
off topic but I had to tell someone!
An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded
this onto a co-worker who had been doing a little homework on this.
And he in fact ordered me lunch due to the fact that I stumbled upon it
for him… lol. So let me reword this….
Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending the time to discuss
this topic here on your blog.
Wow, awesome weblog structure! How lengthy have you been running a blog for?
you made running a blog look easy. The overall look of your web site is magnificent, let alone
the content material!
Genuinely no matter if someone doesn’t know then its up to other
users that they will assist, so here it happens.
Hey just wanted to give you a brief heads up and lett you know a few of tthe pictures aren’t
loading correctly. I’m not sure whhy but I think its a linkiing issue.
I’ve tried iit iin two different web browsers andd both show the same results.
My web log พลาสติกกันกระแทก
It’s awesome designed for me to have a site, which is
good in support of my know-how. thanks admin
Howdy! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog.
Is it very difficult to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast.
I’m thinking about making my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks
You got a very superb website, Glad I detected it through yahoo.
His prospects normally appreciated when polite conduct was repeatedly shaped into the
networks, but better, Merus knew that additionally they appreciated when he squeezed in some enjoyable personality quirks.
He knew that the agent’s semi-autonomous brain was meticulously tracking
the complete sensorimotor experience in its replay reminiscence,
watching Merus’ every transfer and learning. Here are another ways which you can multitask
with regards to your brain well being. The visible and sensory pathways within the
agent’s mind have been flooded with info in regards to the room’s
inferred geometry. This info is ineffective if it’s not uncovered in the
interface. It’s important to dig into the high-quality print and determine any
limits set in place by the issuer. The number of possible builds is staggering,
and it’s all topped off with a decent amount of beauty gear and a alternative of character models.
Potatoes are subterranean stems, underground nutrient
storerooms referred to as tubers, and cool temperatures kick them into high gear.
Here is my blog post :: ib888
Hi it’s me, I am also visiting this web site regularly, this
web site is really fastidious and the users are really sharing pleasant
thoughts.
Hi there would you mind letting me know which webhost you’re
working with? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different internet browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most.
Can you recommend a good web hosting provider at a reasonable price?
Cheers, I appreciate it!
Hello Dear, are you actually visiting this web page regularly,
if so afterward you will definitely get good knowledge.
Hey there! Someone in my Facebook group shared this website with us so I came to take a look.
I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers!
Exceptional blog and outstanding style and design.
Also visit my web-site … พลาสติกกันกระแทก
I got tһis sіte from my pall who sharеd with me concerning this site ɑnd at the moment this time I amm broᴡsing this web ѕite aand reading vefy
informative articles ⲟor reviewѕ here.
Simply wish to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness on your put up is
just excellent and i could think you’re a professional on this subject.
Fine together with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep up to date
with impending post. Thanks a million and please carry on the enjoyable work.
How you can develop: Develop in rich, well-drained soil in full solar.
How one can develop: Impatiens will develop in any common soil and prefers dappled shade.
As a lot as possible the entire process ought to only take a few minutes
in order that the quality will not be compromised. Strap on your M16, keep a watch
peeled for Charlie and take on this platoon of questions
that can check your knowledge of films concerning the warfare in Vietnam.
Platoon” and “Apocalypse Now? It’s now becoming extensively obtainable at garden centers. Makes use of: Perfect for both a dry garden and a wild backyard, gauras are additionally very attractive in a formal border. The Yucatan Neotropical rattlesnake is often found in forested regions near the Mexican coastline (this includes each wet and dry forests); however, some specimens have even been observed inhabiting dry and semiarid regions, including woodlands, scrub forests, in addition to extra open (and barren) areas inland.
A healthful diet should include: meats, grains, fresh fruits and
vegetables, and dairy (or other calcium-containing foods or
supplements). Protein should come from lean meats such as
pork, chicken, and fish. When cooking, use low-fat cooking spray or olive oil as an alternative to butter or lard products.
This will replace some of the unhealthy saturated fats in your diet with more natural, plant-based fats and oils.
Peas contain a plethora of minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants which we all need for a healthy living.
By eating peas we help our bodies develop particular resistance to
certain infections that would ordinarily take us down from
an active and healthy life.
Howdy! Do you know if they make any plugins to
help with SEO? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good results.
If you know of any please share. Thank you!
Check out my blog post; Travel
I’ve been surfing online greater than three hours these days, yet I never discovered any fascinating article like yours.
It is lovely worth sufficient for me. In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers made just
right content material as you did, the web will be a lot more helpful than ever before.
Hey There. I found your weblog the use of msn. This is an extremely well written article.
I will make sure to bookmark it and return to read extra of your useful info.
Thanks for the post. I’ll certainly return.
The estimated Powerball jackpot will now be reset to $40 million.
my web page: Hop over to this website
For hottest news you have to pay a visit web and on the web
I found this web page as a most excellent web site
for latest updates.
Useful information. Lucky me I discovered your website by
chance, and I am shocked why this twist of fate didn’t happened in advance!
I bookmarked it.
Total building time on Fourth Avenue iss estimated at nine to 11 years, a couple of years longer than Fifth.
my webpage: dog with a blog
Hey there, You have done a fantastic job. I will certainly digg it and personally suggest to my friends.
I am sure they will be benefited from this site.