By Hillary Asemota
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre in collaboration with Transparency International (CISLAC/TI) and 14 other organisations have advocated for a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s defence financial management, gender and operational mechanism.
The stakeholders in a brainstorming session advocated that the disparities in the country’s defence and security sector be put in place to close the gaps and lapses in security management.
While acknowledging support from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the programme which held in attendance in Nasarawa State, include CISLAC, the convener, CPSS, Yola Adamawa state, Office of the Auditor General for the Federation, Police Service Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, Code of Conduct Bureau, Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Police Force and the Department of Political Science, Nasarawa State University.
The others at the meeting include: Action for Community Participation, Peoples’ Right and Justice Initiative, Youth Against Disaster, FMC Keffi, and CISD.
The Workshop aimed at revisiting reform efforts in the Defence and security sector, while proffering holistic recommendations to various challenges hampering reform process.
The event which was declared opened by the Executive Director of CISLAC/TI-Nigeria, Mr. Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani) also had technical sessions papers titled Reforming the Nigerian Defence and Security Sector and the Imperative of Efficient Financial Management presented by Prof. Chris Kwaja, Gender and Operational in Nigeria’s Defence and Security Sector: Issues, Challenges and Prospects by Mr. Sunday Adehjo.
The following observations and recommendations were made were made at the end of the programme:
1.While the Defence and Security sector has primary mandate for the design, planning, coordination and implementation of the Nigeria’s Defence and Security sector policies, adequate and sustainable reform in the sector remains a collective responsibility.
2. Faulty recruitment process, inadequate human resource coupled with decentralized remuneration system and structure constitute major impediment to efficient service delivery by Defence and Security sector.
3. Effective oversight mechanism and structure of the Defence and Security sector must take into cognizance proactive functionality and operational independence of the legislature, executive, judiciary and non-state actors.
4. Unattended corruption and lack of operational independence of the oversight institutions delays accountability of efficient financial management within the Defence and Security sector.
5. Financial mismanagement in the Defence and Security sector is enabled by non-release of funds as appropriated, opaque investment in commercial ventures, internal corruption, poor planning and mismatched policy making.
6. Inadequate technical capacity by some Members of relevant Defence and Security Committees in the National Assembly is a major barrier to efficient civilian oversight of financial management and operational activities in the Defence and Security sector.
7. The existing outdated legal provisions in the Nigerian Audit Act renders the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation operationally-inefficient to interrogate trends and challenges in Defence and Security financial management.
8. While gender disparity in Defence and Security sector is a global phenomenon, certain cultural barriers backed by socially-ascribed roles/values have continued to militate against adequate women’s participation and representation in Nigeria’s Defence and Security sector.
Aside, the observations, the underlisted recommendations were also made:
1. Strict adherence to Defence and Security doctrine to fully effect rules of engagement, operating procedures, weapon system and logistic activities, appropriate size and structure, financial management and budget systems, personnel policies and relationships.
2. Strengthening operational and financial mechanisms for transparency and accountability in the Defence and Security sector, considering the principles of civilian oversight of the sector.
