HDI commences a new project Titled HDI LG BUDGET WATCH PROJECT

With a population of over 150 million, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. While Nigeria is one of the richest countries in terms of human, material and natural resources, it is paradoxically one of the poorest in the world with at least 70 percent of the population in poverty. This high level of poverty despite the country’s immense resources has been severally attributed to many years of military dictatorship and instability in government, large scale corruption, poor macro-economic management and inadequate infrastructure amongst other factors, extenuated by lack of openness and transparency in the machinery of government particularly in the budgetary processes. Thus, there is dire need for improvement in budget transparency and accountability and the need for appropriate disclosure of the use of public resources to the citizenry.

This project is designed to strengthen accountability and governance at the local government area (LGA) level which is the closest to the people and the most critical level through which development may be accelerated and poverty alleviated. The project will introduce openness and publicity to LGA administration by publicizing at the local level budgetary allocations and monitoring its use. The project will constitute a monitoring mechanism for how money is received and spent at LGA level and make key stakeholders at the LG more sensitive to how political leaders apply common resource by helping them organize effectively. The project will cover 12 LGAs in 6 states drawn from each of the six geo political zones in the country:

a. North Central – Kwara State (Offa and Ilorin East LGAs)

b. North East - Gombe State (Gombe and Akko LGAs)

c. North West - Kano State (Nasarrawa and Kano Municipal LGAs)

d. South East - Enugu State (Nsukka and Nkannu West LGAs)

e. South West - Lagos State (Mainland and Eti Osa LGAs)

f. South-South - Delta State (Warri South and Ughelli North LGAs)

The project will reduce corruption and poverty, support disadvantaged people, pressure the Executive to design programmes that meet the basic needs of local people, improve the quality of local people’s lives and reinforce development capacity and strengthen better governance for people at LGA level. The project will last for 24 months

Disscusion On Rule of Law

Rule of Law Project

What is the Rule of Law?:
What comes to your mind when the term ‘Rule of Law’ is mentioned? Do you have a clear understanding of what it means? In what ways can the understanding of the rule of law by the common man be improved? What are the likely benefits that a country that operates under the rule of law will enjoy?

Make your voice heard. Contribute to this debate. What is the rule of law?

How are laws made and published? The process of law making is something that has remained unknown to many even amongst elites. Even when laws are made, not many efforts are made to publish and publicise them to enable the general public to know about these laws. That is why there are many laws which are made in the interest of the people and yet the people are unaware of the existence of these laws to enable them benefit from their provisions. For instance, do you know the processes through which laws are made and published? How do you think the processes of law making and publication can be made better? Are the laws made for the people or the government?

Make your voice heard. How should our laws be publicized?

Citizens’ participation in the law making process:
To make democracy work, citizens have to actively participate in the process of governance and in particular, the law making process. Democracy is democracy because of people’s participation in the process. In Nigeria, would you say that citizens (and in particular, the common man), participates in the law making process? Does the common man understand the need to participate in the law making process and how can they participate if they want to? Is your representative in the federal or state house of assembly representing your views?

Make your voice heard. How can you participate in the law making process?

How to hold the government accountable to the law:
The only way that the government can deliver on its promises is if the people are in position to hold the government officials accountable for their actions and or inactions. From your experience, would you say that the governments in Nigeria are accountable to the people? If yes, in what ways are they accountable to the people? If no, how do you think that the governments in Nigeria (at various levels) can be made accountable in order to achieve the dividends of democracy?

Make your voice heard. How do you want to hold the government accountable?

RULE OF LAW WATCH

Rule of law watch

RULE OF LAW WATCH (ROL WATCH)
Rule of Law Watch is a collaborative project of Human Development Initiatives(HDI) and the World Justice Project of the American Bar Association in partnership with select radio stations in Nigeria. It brings together the law, media and telecommunication. The objective is to use local media to create awareness about Rule of Law and what it entails as a means of enhancing citizen participation in governance and improving citizen capacity to hold government more accountable to the people.

HDI is in partnership with selected Radio Stations will disseminate ROL awareness programmes that look at various aspects of rule of law including government accountability to law at all levels.
Nigeria is a fledging democracy with weak institutions of government, systemic corruption and high vulnerability to endogenous political shocks and exogenous economic shocks. Disregard for laws and denial of justice in criminal and civil justice system is a notorious fact. Mindful of the importance of law to good governance and development, the present administration in Nigeria has made respect for law and upholding the ROL one of its cardinal principles.

In its basic form the ROL posits that no one is above the law. ROL is widely recognised as a prerequisite for democracy and a basis for human rights advocacy. It is also a push factor for economic growth because countries with better ROL attract more FDI, aid and economic assistance while stable and predictable laws encourage investments and growth., ROL is also used to guarantee property and economic rights.
In light of the importance of ROL to development the citizenry cannot affordto be ignorant of its meaning and application. Ignorance prevents the citizens from holding the government accountable under the law.
In order to fulfil its public education obligation Human Development Initiatives in partnership with WJP-ABA and select media organisations hosts ROL Watch on radio in English and Yoruba languages.

In order to be a part of this public education initiative we urge you to contribute your views by phone calls, sms, emails and participation in the discussion forum that is dedicated to the ROL.

http://www.hdinigeria.org

Human Development Initiatives(HDI) was conceived in 1996 but had its first public event in 1997 and was registered as a not for profit in 1998.



Vision statement
To strengthen vulnerable HUMAN in society by social DEVELOPMENT programmes and INITIATIVES that promote equalilty,justice, solidarity and opportunities