Yenagoa — Leaders of civil society groups in Bayelsa State yesterday reviewed the policy of transparency and accountability by the state and local governments in the last 12 months, insisting that the administration of Governor Timipre Sylva has failed to engage in constant monitoring of local councils financial status and be accountable to the people.

The group, argued that though some necessary legislation and frame works have been put in place by the State House of Assembly and the state government, the task that should be top in the mind of the governor is the need for the council chairmen to be transparent and accountable to the people.

The civil society groups under the aegis of Bayelsa Non-governmental Organisation Forum in partnership with the New York based international NGO, Revenue Watch Institute (RWI), in a four-day capacity building training workshop at Ogbia and Sagbama Local Government Areas of the state, reviewed the process of budgeting at the state and local governments level and examined the challenges of an inclusive budgeting process by local communities.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the workshop and endorsed by representatives of the 115 community /clan watch groups, the forum noted that the people need to know the flow of financial allocations to the local governments.

Accordingly, they advised that local governments should be transparent and accountable to their people through regular reporting process, town hall meetings and engagement process that embrace all stakeholders.

On budgeting, planning and implementation, it maintained that the Bayelsa State government needs to adopt a bottom-top approach, while communities should set up a monitoring team on the budget.

The communiqué reads in part: "Bayelsa State government should adopt the bottom-up approach in their subsequent budgeting, planning and implementation process. "Communities should also call on the state government to make good its promise of making the budget and financial books of the state and local government accessible to the people for scrutiny and to ensure transparency in its implementation.

"Communities on their part should set up a project monitoring committee with persons of credible character for effective service delivery of projects"It also urged community leaders to see themselves, as providing selfless service on behalf of the communities, adding that "youths generally should disabuse their minds from immediate benefits and rather work towards protecting the community and government".