Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has organised a two-day training workshop on budget tracking for its national and state executives, facilitated by Budgit in Nigeria.
The group in a statement signed by the national coordinator, Jamila Aliyu Charanchi, said the training workshop focused on equipping the participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively track the budgetary allocations and expenditures at national and state levels. It is aimed at enhancing their abilities to hold government officials accountable for the funds allocated for developmental projects in Northern Nigeria.
"Budgit Nigeria, renowned for its expertise in budget tracking and transparency advocacy, facilitated the training. Their experienced team of professionals shared insights, methodologies, and tools to enable the participants to actively engage with budgets, track resource allocation, monitor project implementation, and report findings to relevant stakeholders," she said.
She added that the training has given them clear understanding of budgetary processes, saying the training provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of budgetary processes, including planning, execution, and monitoring. She noted that this knowledge will enable them to identify gaps and irregularities in budget implementation at various stages.
She observed that the workshop enhanced participants' capacity to analyze budgets effectively, track public spending, and identify discrepancies and that they learned to use technological tools and platforms, such as Budgit's open-source software, to simplify the process and ensure proper documentation.
According to her the training emphasized the importance of informed advocacy in demanding accountability, participants were exposed to different strategies for engaging with policymakers, civil society organisations, and the media to raise awareness about budget tracking and promote transparency. She added that the workshop provided a platform for participants to network with like-minded individuals from different parts of Northern Nigeria and give them the opportunity to exchange experiences, challenges, and best practices which will foster collaboration among the CNG's national and state executives.
