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2007 Assessment

Nigeria: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Nigeria: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Budget Processes
Indicators		Score
37	Can the legislature provide input to the national budget?	75
38	Can citizens access the national budgetary process?	67
39	In law, is there a separate legislative committee which provides oversight of public funds?	100
40	Is the legislative committee overseeing the expenditure of public funds effective?	44

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Can the legislature provide input to the national budget?

37a: In law, the legislature can amend the budget.

Score:

YES

Comments: The constitution gives the legislature the power to make laws by passing bills. The budget is always in the form of a bill.

References: Sections 58 ,59 & 80, Nigeria's Federal Constitution, 1999

37b: In practice, significant public expenditures require legislative approval.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: All significant government expenditures (defined as any project costing more than 1% of the total national budget), must be approved by the legislature. This includes defense and secret programs, which may be debated in closed hearings. 50 Score Criteria: Most significant government expenditures (as defined) are approved by the legislature, but some exceptions to this rule exist. This may include defense programs, an executive\'s personal budget, or other expenses. 0 Score Criteria: The legislature does not have the power to approve or disapprove large portions of the government budget, or the legislature does not exercise this power in a meaningful way.$

Comments: The legislature has this power, but most of the times they do not change anything significant in the budget, and pass it mostly as it is presented by the executive.

References: 1. Hillary Ogbanna, program coordinator Budget Advocacy, Action Aid International Nigeria (AAIN), AAIN's Office, Aug. 28, 2007; 2. Dominic Ogankpa, program coordinator, Budget Monitoring & Advocacy, Pact Nigeria, Pact's Office, Aug. 28, 2007

37c: In practice, the legislature has sufficient capacity to monitor the budget process and provide input or changes.

Score:

100

Comments: The challenge for the legislature is more of capacity, than overwork. The legislature mostly has low capacity for technical budget issues and the staff are not professionals, but mostly family members.

Peer Review Comments: i do not agree that legislators employ mostly family members on their staffs. It may occur occasionally, but what is more likely is that professionals with requisite skills are not employed in these positions.

Peer Review Comments: The new Speaker of the House of Representatives confirmed two weeks ago that the House lacks the capacity and experience to perform budgetary oversight functions.

Can citizens access the national budgetary process?

38a: In practice, the national budgetary process is conducted in a transparent manner in the debating stage (i.e. before final approval).

Score:

100

Comments: The debating process is mostly open, there is even a public hearing held at the National Assembly. The impact of public input is debatable.

38b: In practice, citizens provide input at budget hearings.

Score:

100

Comments: Citizens can attend the public hearings, but the process of getting approval to present a memorandum is tedious. Even when citizens get this approval, their input carries little weight.

Peer Review Comments: Citizens do not provide any input. Legislators are in charge of the process and in most cases, different constituencies/ministries implementing the budgets engage in extensive lobbying.

38c: In practice, citizens can access itemized budget allocations.

Score:

100

Comments: This information is on the Web site of the Ministry of Finance and is easily accessible. The interest is low on the part of the public.

Peer Review Comments: Newspapers, which often report such allocations, provide the easiest access citizens have to this information. Less than 20 percent of the Nigerian population has easy access to the Internet.

In law, is there a separate legislative committee which provides oversight of public funds?

39: In law, is there a separate legislative committee which provides oversight of public funds?

Score:

YES

Comments: In practice, there is the Public Accounts Committee, which is not specifically provided for in the law. It gives the legislature oversight and monitoring powers.

References: Section 62, 1999 Federal Constitution

Peer Review Comments: There are Senate committees on appropriation and on finance.

Is the legislative committee overseeing the expenditure of public funds effective?

40a: In practice, department heads regularly submit reports to this committee.

Score:

100

Comments: The Public Accounts Committee is largely ineffective and moribund. Reports are rarely submitted to it.

40b: In practice, the committee acts in a non-partisan manner with members of opposition parties serving on the committee in an equitable fashion.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: The committee is comprised of legislators from both the ruling party (or parties) and opposition parties in a roughly equitable distribution. All members of the committee -- including opposition party members -- are able to fully participate in the activities of the committee and influence the committee\'s work to roughly the same extent as any other member of the committee. 50 Score Criteria: The committee is comprised of legislators from both the ruling party (or parties) and opposition parties although the ruling party has a disproportionate share of committee seats. The chairperson of the committee may be overly influential and curb other members\' ability to shape the committee's activities. 0 Score Criteria: The committee is dominated by legislators of the ruling party and/or the committee chairperson. Opposition legislators serving on the committee have in practice no way to influence the work of the committee.$

Comments: In practice, this Committee is headed by a member of the opposition party.

40c: In practice, this committee is protected from political interference.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: This committee operates independently of the political process, without incentive or pressure to render favorable judgments on politically sensitive issues. Investigations are rarely praised or criticized by political figures. 50 Score Criteria: This committee is usually independent but is sometimes influenced by negative or positive political incentives. This may include public praise or criticism by the government. 0 Score Criteria: This committee is commonly influenced by personal or political forces or incentives. This may include conflicting family relationships, professional partnerships, or other personal loyalties that ultimately influence the committee\'s behavior and decision-making. Negative incentives may include threats, harassment or other abuses of power by the government.$

Comments: This Committee is fairly independent, but largely ineffective.

Peer Review Comments: There may occasionally be some form of political influence at work, but I do not agree that the legislative oversight committee is ineffective.

Peer Review Comments: The committee is subject to political influence.

40d: In practice, when necessary, this committee initiates independent investigations into financial irregularities.

Score:

100

Comments: This Committee rarely conducts investigations. Other specific committees conduct investigations in the areas they have oversight on.

Peer Review Comments: There is no committee that cannot conduct investigations on corruption. The recent fight against corrupt practices in Nigeria has put virtually all institutions under independent scrutiny

Peer Review Comments: The committee may initiate investigations, usually starting with public hearings. A few agencies have been so investigated.