Ebonyi Assembly Synergizes With USAID S2S For Effective Budget Implementation
The Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Moses Ije Odunwa has said that the state assembly will continue to synergize with the USAID State2State Nigeria to enhance budget performance and implementation in the state.
Odunwa spoke in Abakaliki on Monday during the quarterly budget performance hearing between the state House of Assembly and priority MDAs in Ebonyi state.
The meeting put in place by USAID state accountability, transparency, and Effectiveness ( State2State) activity was aimed at a review of Ebonyi State budget 2023 quarter 4/year- to --date performance of the Education sector, Health sector, and WASH sector respectively.
The meeting which lasted from Monday 22 through Wednesday, April 24, 2024, had all the state assembly Lawmakers in attendance with recommendations for the successful implementation of the sectorial budget in the next quarter.
The Speaker commended USAID S2S for their well-articulated programs which have made various ministries sit up in their office work.
"Ebonyi State House of Assembly and the USAID state2state shall continue to synergize, and track budget, and I believe there will be better performance in the education, health, and WASH sectors because of the programs and policies of the government which are based on the people's charter of needs".
He assured that the Lawmakers shall adopt the new budget oversight template introduced by State2State in monitoring project implementation by relevant MDAs during their oversight function.
Earlier in a remark, Dr. Sam Onyia USAID State2State Nigeria Ebonyi State team lead, noted that the meeting is aimed at strengthening the state Lawmakers to manage budget performance review, tracking, and analysis of budget implementation results in the state.
Dr. Onyia who was represented by the State2State Local Manager in the state, Victoria Eze, further explained that the review will help the Lawmakers and CSOs to effectively monitor budget implementation in the state.
Israel Mbam representing CSOs in the meeting commended State2State for using their programs to put Ebonyi on the right track and called on the Lawmakers to supervise the implementation of the budget and also ensure that quality materials are used in project execution.
Mbam added that details of ongoing contract projects should be released to help CSOs in budget tracking.
For persons with disabilities, Mr. Ifeanyi Nwokporo called for the provision of special schools across the three senatorial zones of the state as well as the provision of sign interpreters and RAMPs for the PWDs in schools and hospitals.
State2State Citizens Engagement Specialist, Munachiso Odulana, and the LGA Manager, Victoria Eze who facilitated the program, outlined some findings from the previous performance review of the state budget, while participants developed an action plan to implement the recommendations made.