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Dayo Emmanuel
Foremost media NGO, the International Press Centre (IPC) has concluded a two days training on budget for community leaders in Lagos State.
The event tagged Budget Literacy and Budget Monitoring Training for Community Members in Lagos was organised with support from UKaid and Actionaid.
Speaking at the event, one of the coordinators of the training, Stella Nwofia enjoined participants to be proactive about developmental issues. “Development will not come to you while you sit down and fold your hands. You have to monitor things within your communities,” she advised.
A participant from Orile Shomolu in Shomolu Local Government Area of Lagos State, M.G. Batula commended IPC for bringing needed information to the grassroots on issues concerning development. “IPC always enlightens us that if we are close to the government they would not do things behind us. IPC made us to know that the delegates we chose to represent us at the government level should be credible people, we also know we should be close to IPC,” he said.
In her own remark, Toyin Badmus from Orile Shomolu thanked the IPC for the enlightenment provided to the grass roots. “I thank IPC for the enlightenment program making us to know what budget is all about,” she said, adding that “Once a budget has been passed there is noting we can do. They made us know we have to participate in the preparation of the budget. We now know we have to lobby and get projects sited in our community. We have also been taught on monitoring so we could know what is left undone in the current year so we could represent it for the following year. I appreciate IPC for the great enlightenment.”
The main trainer on the second day of the event, Stanley Achonu of Budgit encouraged participants to ensure payment of their taxes which enable the government to generate money for development of the communities.
“If you don’t pay your tax, the government will not have money to do development projects and when you pay your tax, you have to monitor and be involved, it is a partnership and not a battle,” Achonu said.
Achonu also enlightened the participants to draw up a list of their desired development projects according to their usefulness and priority. “The person in government has things he wants to do but he may say he wants to build a road while it is not the particular road on his plan that is more important. It is your duty to dialogue with government that achieves results faster than protests,” he enlightened.
He also listed officials important to the communities in the grassroots. “Number one person important to you now is your Councilor. The number two is the member of the House of Assembly in charge of your constituency. At the state level the first person you engage is the Commissioner,” he said, advising community members to stay in good contact with the government in order to monitor happenings concerning development.
The participants were also taught the necessity and methods of courting relationship with the government at the local and state levels. “You must facilitate relationship between yourselves and these officials at the state and local levels.” “You must know who your Councilor is and take it further to knowing your state member of the House of Assembly so that when you go to make your presentations they already know you. They don’t have to be in same party with you, it is all about development and not politics or personal issues,” he advised also stressing community members should not approach the government representatives with personal issues of community politics which are irrelevant to development needs of the communities.
