Lagos — The Lagos State Government has been called upon to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation units of the budgeting process in the state, to ensure proper utilisation of fund allocated to the various ministries.

In a communiqué signed by the Executive Director of Concerned Professionals (CP), Mr. Joel Nwokeoma, Government was enjoined to source for and partner with donor agencies and the private sector to fund agricultural projects; and to ensure food security by allocating more money for agriculture and related issues.

The communiqué was issued at the end of a one-day Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Legislative Forum on the 2008 Lagos State Budget, organised by the AIDS Alliance Nigeria (AAN) and Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) Ijebu-Ode, recently in Lagos.

The CSO/Legislative forum was aimed at building and facilitating essential collaboration between legislators and the citizens towards engendering effective budgeting in Lagos State.

According to the communiqué, over 35 participants drawn from the Lagos State Ministries of Education, Health, and Agriculture, the Media, and the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) were in attendance.

Goodwill messages were also sent by PACT Nigeria and ActionAid Nigeria, while AIDS Alliance in Nigeria (AAN) and Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) Ijebu Ode gave the opening remarks.

The lead presentation on the role of the legislature in the budget process was made by Mrs. Augusta Akparanta-Emenogu.

After deliberation by the participants, various observations and recommendations were made.

The participants noted among other things that the ability of the legislature to effectively carry out its legislative functions is stifled by long years of military rule in Nigeria; and that the Nigerian electoral process has not led to the emergence of skilled membership of the Legislature.

To them, government funding for education, health and HIV/AIDS, and agriculture in Lagos State over the years has not met international commitments and the needs of the various Ministries.

"The legislators often have capacity challenges to engage the citizens in the budgeting process. Collaboration between the law makers and the civil society is imperative for good governance. There is a dearth of information on the budget and the budget process in Lagos State", they noted.

"There should be a standardised advocacy tool by CSOs to engender consistency in advocacy activities; while the current and previous budgets of the Lagos State government should be made available on time and widely disseminated to the public for engagement".

The legislature was also urged to partner/collaborate with the CSOs in order to enhance people centered budgeting; while participants also commended the organisers of the programme.