By Aderogba George
The newly elected National Coordinator of the Civil Society Budget Implementation Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (CBIAMEC), Comrade Patrick Onomuodeke, has pledged to strengthen evidence-based monitoring of budget implementation.
Onomuodeke made the pledge in a statement on Sunday following his inauguration as the committee’s national coordinator.
He said CBIAMEC would promote credible budget assessment, monitoring and evaluation, as well as citizen participation, transparency and accountability across the country.
He said the committee would bridge the gap between budgetary allocations and outcomes by tracking the release and utilisation of public funds.
According to him, the committee would also assess whether projects were executed as planned, met required standards and delivered intended benefits to communities.
“The true measure of a budget is not simply what is appropriated on paper, but what is actually implemented and what impact that implementation has on the people,” he said.
Onomuodeke said CBIAMEC would remain independent, professional, non-partisan, evidence-driven and inclusive.
He said the committee would strengthen collaboration among civil society organisations, government institutions, the media, academia and development partners.
The national coordinator identified grassroots monitoring, evidence-based reporting, citizen engagement, transparency and accountability as priorities of his administration.
He said CBIAMEC would strengthen members’ capacity in budget analysis, project tracking, social accountability, monitoring and evaluation, data collection, advocacy and reporting.
Onomuodeke said the committee would also embrace digital tools, open data, community reporting mechanisms and geographic information systems to improve monitoring.
He said CBIAMEC was not established to fight government but to strengthen accountability and governance through constructive engagement and evidence-based advocacy.
“Where government performs well, we should acknowledge and commend it. Where there are gaps, we should identify them objectively and make constructive recommendations,” he said.
Onomuodeke urged civil society organisations across the country to see CBIAMEC as a platform for collaboration rather than competition.
He said Nigeria’s challenges were too significant for fragmented efforts, stressing the need to share information, strengthen networks and coordinate interventions.
He also called for stronger partnerships with government, noting that civil society could help identify implementation challenges, improve service delivery and highlight gaps affecting citizens.
Onomuodeke pledged to uphold integrity, transparency, fairness, professionalism, inclusiveness and accountability in discharging his responsibilities.
He said the success of CBIAMEC would depend on the commitment of its leadership, members, state and local structures, partners and citizens.
He urged stakeholders to support the committee in monitoring public resources without fear or favour and reporting findings with facts and integrity.
He said the ultimate goal was to ensure that public resources delivered value to Nigerians and close the gap between government budgets and what citizens actually received.(NAN)