The Niger Delta Citizens and Budget Platform is a collaboration of Civil Society organisations, including NGOs and community groups that promotes mass mobilisation to combat corruption in public offices in the states and local government councils of the Niger Delta, and to support community participation in budget development and monitoring. The platform will be addressing poverty and violence as well as contributing to promoting democratic culture in the region by ensuring that community members and civil society actors are empowered to make input into budget development and monitor budget expenditures.
BACKGROUND
Nigeria is among the major petroleum exporters in the world. The government and transnational oil companies earn huge revenues from oil and gas exports. However, amidst growing exports and increasing revenues to national, state and local governments, poverty levels in the country have been increasing while social infrastructures collapse. The inability of the state to create a community adequate for development has resulted in a disenchanted citizenry and the escalation of violence.
Violence, which has been increasing in different parts of the country, escalated during the April 2007 General Elections with sponsored armed gangs terrorising citizens. In the Niger Delta area, gangs and militia activity have continued to increase with clashes with security agencies, kidnapping of foreign oil workers and sabotage of oil and gas infrastructure. The escalation of the crisis in the Niger Delta could have dangerous repercussion for national stability and global energy security.
The increasing violence in the Niger Delta complicates a social situation characterised by mass poverty and environmental degradation occasioned by the exploitation of crude oil and natural gas in the area, as corruption has robbed communities of potential benefits from the considerable federal, state and local government revenues from oil and gas sales.
The Niger Delta Citizens and Budget Platform will work to promote a new deal in democratic accountability in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria by improving participation and dialogue among communities, civil society and governments to ensure that government budgets and revenues from natural resources work for the people.
- To build a network of civil society organisations, community groups and leaders to engage governments and their agencies to combat corruption and promote participation in budget making and monitoring.
- To encourage collaboration between governments of the states of the Niger Delta and civil society on budget democracy.
- To promote the emergence of a civil leadership in the Niger Delta that promotes popular sentiments and development priorities without recourse to violence
STRATEGY:
- NDCBP serves as a forum for generating, analysing and sharing information among members, as well as to community groups, Nigerian citizens, governments, national and international media etc. on developments on revenues and budgets;
- Working with NEITI, utilise and support it as an opportunity to engage with governments in the states and local government areas of the Niger Delta to promote transparency in the formulation and implementation of budgets from natural resources revenues;
- Raising popular awareness by holding public hearings in various state locales as part of the budget-making process to allow for greater public scrutiny of government spending priorities;
- Working with national, state and local government legislative authorities to strengthen legislations that promote free information flows, fiscal responsibility and public accountability;
- Encouraging all levels of government and their agencies to publish all financial allocations and expenditures;
- Monitor and publish information on the performance of state and local governments to encourage good governance and transparency;
- Mobilising communities to increase representation to law enforcement agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corruption and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
FOCUS AREAS:
The initial focus areas for the NDCBP shall be the core Niger Delta states of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom and the local government areas within them.
MEMBERSHIP
Members of the NDCBP include organisations that have been working in the Niger delta area on community development, human rights, environment, gender, solidarity building, democracy etc. Membership is open to groups that share the objectives and Membership Criteria of the Platform.
MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA
- In the case of NGOs, members
- should be registered at the state or national level;
- should have a clear governance structure;
- should have proper accounting records with annual reports and financial audits;
- should be transparent with information on its projects that may be related to the mandate of the NDCBP;
- should not maintain compromising financial relationship with state(s), local government council(s) and oil companies in the Niger Delta;
- should not be engaged in or support acts of violence.
- In the case of community organisations,
- members should represent a community or section of the community (such as youths, women, elders etc.);
- should be recognised by the community;
- should have and operate a democratic mechanism for choosing leadership;
- should operate proper records of finances;
- should not be engaged in or linked to acts of violence;
- should be independent of political parties.
New members could be admitted by the Steering Committee on acceptance of the membership criteria, and on the recommendation of an existing member.
COORDINATION:
SECRETARIAT:
The NDCBP shall be coordinated by a Secretariat, which shall be hosted by a member organisation. The Secretariat shall be composed of a Coordinator and Programme Officer(s) that shall be contracted by the hosting organisation on the approval of the Steering Committee.
The hosting organisation shall monitor the Secretariat and ensure that personnel are provided with adequate working conditions and materials.
The Secretariat shall be responsible for liasing with member organisations and resource persons to ensure effective implementation of the programmes of the NDCBP, and keep proper programmes and accounting records.
The hosting right of the Secretariat shall be granted to a member organisation on a term of 3 years, which may be renewed.
The General Assembly reserves the right to withdraw the hosting right of the Secretariat if the hosting organisation violates the Membership Criteria.
STEERING COMMITTEE:
The NDCBP shall have a Steering Committee composed of 7 members representing and selected by the members of the platform at a General Assembly.
The members of the Steering Committee shall serve for a term of 2 years, which may be renewed.
The Steering Committee shall meet quarterly to review the activities of the Secretariat and implementation of the programmes of the NDCBP.
The hosting organisation of the Secretariat shall be the Chair of the Steering Committee.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The General Assembly is the highest decision making organ of the NDCBP.
The General Assembly of the NDCBP shall comprise of a representative of each of the member organisations and the Secretariat.
The General Assembly shall meet annually and shall be convened by the Secretariat on the recommendation of the Steering Committee, or on a special written request made by 2/3 of the members of the General Assembly.
LANGUAGE:
The language of communication shall be English and Pidgin English. The NDCBP Secretariat shall try to ensure that information and materials are available in formats and languages that are easily accessible by community members.
FUND RAISING:
On identification of key themes and programmes by the General Assembly and Steering Committee, the Secretariat shall prepare detailed proposals for fundraising, which shall be sent to members, partner organisations in Nigeria and abroad.