VOL. 10 No. 11, NOV. 2016A PUBLICATION OF CISLAC

Continued on page 4

By Abubakar Jimoh

www.facebook.com/cislacnigeria@cislacnigeria website: www.cislacnigeria.net

Nigeria: New Legislative Drive to Revitalize Primary Health Care

On 7th and 8th September, 2016, the House of

Representatives Committees on Appropriation

and Health in partnership Civil Society

Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) organised

a two-day Retreat for House of Representatives on

financing Primary Health Care in Nigeria. The

Retreat which was held in Accra, the capital city of

Ghana aimed at providing a platform for relevant

Committees in the House of Representatives to

discuss and review current challenges and

opportunities in financing Primary Health Care

in Nigeria. The retreat drew about 60

participants from House of Representatives,

Ministries of Health, Budget and Planning, civil

society, and development partners.

. Health financing system is characterized by

low investment by Government – Rt. Hon.

Dogara

· Nigeria does not need to wait for economic

development to invest substantially in health

– Hon. Okafor

· PHC is the most acceptable approach to

deliver effective, accessible acceptable health

care – CISLAC

· Current delivery of care system will continue

to fail, except for radical reforms – CSIG

· Majority of Nigerians live in rural areas where

many diseases are prevalent – NSP

From L-R: Deputy Chair, House Committee on Health Institutions, Hon. Muhammad Umar Jega; Chair, Committee on Institutions, Hon. Betty Jocelyn Apiafi; Chair, Committee on Health Services, Hon. Chike John Okafor; Depty Chair Committee on Health Services, Hon. Muhammad Usman, during Public Hearing on “Financing Healthcare and Revitalizing the Primary Health Care system in Nigeria” held at National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

ivil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) is a non-governmental, non-profit, advocacy, Cinformation sharing, research, and capacity building organisation. Its mission is to strengthen the link between civil society and the legislature through advocacy and capacity building for civil society groups and policy makers on legislative processes and governance issues.

CISLAC was integrated as a corporate body (CAC/IT/NO22738) with the Nigeria's Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on the 28th December 2006. Prior to this incorporation, however, CISLAC had actively been engaged in legislative advocacy work since 2005. The organisation is also compliant with the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2007. The Organisation reports to SCUML, any transaction that is above One thousand dollars, detailing the payee, purpose and the other KYC (Know Your Customer) requirements. This is done on a weekly or monthly basis depending on the volume of transactions and to ensure appropriate compliance with anti-money laundering laws. Also, CISLAC is registered organisation under the National Planning Commission.

As indicated above, the organisation emerged from the need to address the gaps in legislative advocacy work of civil society and government access to civil society groups. CISLAC's engagement with Federal Ministries, National and State Assemblies, Local Government Administrations, private sector interests, and non-government organisations, has opened a window through which the public and policy officials can interact and collaborate.

CISLAC through its engagement of the governance processes in Nigeria has facilitated the enactment of several primary legislations such as the Fiscal Responsibility Act, Public Procurement Act, and Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative Act which promotes transparency and accountability in governance as well as the domestication of international conventions at the Federal and state levels in Nigeria. CISLAC also supported the passage of the Freedom of Information Act. Other pieces of legislations such the National Tobacco Control Bill, National Health Bill, Disability Bill, Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill, Violence and Persons Prohibition Bill, Whistleblower Protection Bill, Prison Reform Bill, etc. are also supported by CISLAC.

As a renowned CSO in Legislative advocacy in the region, CISLAC has on several occasions shared its experience on best practises for legislative advocacy on invitation from its international partners such as the World Bank Parliamentary Forum and the United Nations Millennium Campaign in African countries such as Kenya and Zimbabwe. Similarly, Ghana, Kenya, and Democratic Republic of Congo have also requested support from CISLAC for replication of their work in Legislative advocacy. In many West African countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Cameroon, Niger, Togo and Benin Republic, CISLAC has carried out experience sharing and advocacy exercises on the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative processes through supporting the passage of extractive industry initiative laws in these countries. CISLAC has also undertaken capacity building for legislators, CSOs and Media on policy engagements in the above countries.

CISLAC's sub-granting experience includes grants to national organisations. With skilled, committed, experienced and proactive leadership and employees, particularly in the areas of coalition building, tenacious advocacy, community mobilization and the clout needed to engage lawmakers at all levels, the organization proven capacity to attract international solidarity, engage policy makers and mobilize local civil society groups and communities into action.

GOAL

“To make legislature accessible and responsive to all”.

VISION

“A Nigeria in which citizens are participating in governance; the government is safeguarding the rights and welfare of the people; and non-state actors are providing space for citizens to demand accountability”.

MISSION

“To increase the legislature and CSOs' impact in the legislative process”.

ADVOCACY VISITS

CISLAC has successfully engaged key members of the National Assembly in order to wield their influence in ensuring that civil society positions are accommodated. In 2006, for instance, CISLAC targeted key players and created public awareness on draft legislation and questionable provisions incorporated by the National Assembly. Such efforts improved the levels of discipline, transparency, and accountability in the management and openness of fiscal responsibility, public procurement, and the nation's extractive Industry sector in Nigeria.

Through such efforts, CISLAC has empowered communities mostly affected by the extractive industry sector, improved the levels of information dissemination, and ensure due process and transparency in the payments made by extractive industry companies to the Federal Government and its agencies. It has also educated State and Federal legislators, their advisory staff, CSOs, the media, and key stakeholders on their oversight roles in legislation and has reviewed their commitment in implementation.

PUBLICATION OF MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS

CISLAC has strengthened civil society intervention by the publication of a monthly newsletter Legislative Digest and Tobacco Control Update which have been in circulation for both public and legislative consumption since October 2006 and June 2013 respectively. It has been a central medium of accountability, as it monitors the performance of Legislators, and a channel for advocacy on critical issues that need legislation. Also, CISLAC has a wide range of publications such as Textbooks and Policy Briefs.

CISLAC'S MAJOR DONORS

1. Oxfam Novib

2. Oxfam International

3. Oxfam GB

4. Ford Foundation

5. Mac Arthur Foundation

6. PACT Nigeria/USAID

7. United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC)

8. Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA)

9. Heinrich Boll Foundation (HBF)

10. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

11. Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK)

12. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

13. The Federal Public Administration Reform (FEPAR)/DFID

14. T.Y. Danjuma Foundation

15. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)

16. Voice for Change (V4C)

17. National Endowment for Democracy

18. Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme (NSRP)

19. USAID/Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE)

20. International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

21. African Capacity Building Foundation

22. Australian Government

23. North East Regional Initiative (NERI)

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEE

This is the policy-making organ of the organisation. It approves the budget of the organisation, provides contacts for operational funds and supports the operation of the secretariat.

1. Mr. Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)

2. Mr. Adesina Oke

3. Mr. Y.Z Y'au

4. Ms. Nkoyo Toyo

5. Ms. Hadiza Kangiwa

6. Mr. Adagbo Onoja

ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Advisory Council is an advisory organ consisting of people with vast experience and knowledge of socio-economic and political dynamics in the country and across the world. 1. Hon. Uche Onyeaguocha2. Prof. Okey Ibeanu3. Prof. Sam Egwu4. Dr. Abubakar Momoh5. Chom Bagu6. Gen. Ishola Williams (rtd)7. Dr. Afia Zakiya (Ms)8. Prof. Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan9. Halima Ben Umar (Ms.)10. Bukhari Bello

THE SECRETARIAT

The Secretariat is vested with the day-to-day running of the organization. It implements the decisions of the Board of Trustees. It is headed by an Executive Director who oversees the day-to-day running of the organisation while a Senior Program Officer oversees programmes implementation along with other programme staff.

Head Office, Abuja:

Mr. Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani) - Executive DirectorMr. Kolawole Banwo - Senior Program Officer (Extractive,

Environment and Security)Mr. Okeke Anya - Senior Program Officer (ECOWAS & AU)Ms. Chioma Blessing Kanu - Snr. Program Officer (MDGs, Gender, Reproductive

Health and Anti-corruption)Mr. Salaudeen Hashimu Nurani - Program Officer (Human Rights/Migration,

Agriculture/ Livelihood)Mr. Abubakar Jimoh - Head, Communication and InformationMr. Chinedu Bassey - Program Officer (Tax Justice)Mrs. Hauwa'u Bin Abdallah - Admin OfficerMr. Omomhenle Ehis - Finance OfficerMr. Gonji Dadoh Timbut - Assistant Finance OfficerMrs. Abimbola S. Okoilu- Miró - Secretary/Assistant Program OfficerMr. Augustine Erameh - Assistant Program OfficerMs. Lovelyn Agbor - Monitoring and Evaluation OfficerMs. Onyekachi Eke - Media OfficerMr. Muhammed Murtala Muhammed - Asst. Program OfficerMr. Prince Onwuike - M&E OfficerMs. Abiodun Oladipupo - Office AssistantMs. Fatima Shaibu - Office AssistantMs. Isese Sor - Intern Mr. Solomon Adoga Wonah - InternMs. Isibakhome Azugbene - InternMs. Ndidi Anih - Intern

Regional Office: Kano

Mr. Nura Maaji - Program Officer

About us

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 20162

EDITORIAL

hile adequate, accessible and affordable

health care system is paramount to the Wsurvival of the citizens, Nigerian health

care system is one of the worst hit by inadequate

budgetary allocation, delayed release, lack of

judicious utilisation of the existing funds, and poor

monitoring that discourage transparency and

accountability at all levels.

As Primary Health Care (PHC) remains the most

acceptable approach to deliver effective, accessible

and acceptable health and services at all levels,

effective implementation of PHC objectives has been

hampered by lingering inadequate budgetary

allocation.

This fact features in the recent revelation by United

Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that under-

nutrition remains high in Northern Nigeria with about

2.2million out of the 2.5 million severely acute

malnourished children being from Northern Nigeria.

Majority of children do not receive minimum

acceptable diet.

While 50% child mortality in the country has

malnutrition as underlining cause, no fewer than

1200, out of 2600 estimated daily deaths are caused

by malnutrition. Inadequate budgetary allocation to

nutrition and delay or non-release of nutrition

appropriated funds by the state governments are

inherent systemic challenges in complementing

donors’ efforts in scaling up interventions in nutrition.

Similarly, it was observed by legislators during a Two-

day Retreat for House of Representatives on

Financing Primary Health Care in Nigeria organized

by House of Representatives Committees on

Appropriation and Health in partnership with CISLAC

in Accra, Ghana, that delayed domestication and

implementation of the National Health Act 2014,

inadequate budgetary allocation to health sector,

poor monitoring and lack of judicious utilisation of the

existing funds has hampered accountability, and

effective provision and distribution of basic health

package across the country.

Although the country experienced Revenue Deficit

amounting to N2.2trillion in the 2016 Appropriation

Act, and the subsequent lowest revenue-to-GDP ratio

posing inherent challenge to the adequate financing

for health care system in Nigeria, it has become

imperative for all levels of government to ensure

flexibility in the implementation of the National Health

Act 2014 by embracing innovative financing from

various sources within short, medium and long-term

such as economic diversification as well as

participatory and inclusive procedures to recognise

the various local context and peculiarities impacting

on the effective implementation of the Act by the State

Governments.

Furthermore, adequate Primary Health Care

financing in Nigeria through enhanced political

actions for resource mobilisation and full-fledged

implementation of the National Health Act 2014 with

prioritised attention to the 1% provision of

Consolidated Revenue Fund from the national budget

is essential to achieve affordable and accessible

quality health care system at all levels.

Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)

Editor-in-Chief

Abubakar JimohEditor

Chioma Kanu

Abimbola S. Okoilu-Miró

REGIONAL OFFICE: KANO

3rd Floor, NISTF Building

No. 1A, Social Insurance Road Behind Trade Fair Complex

Zaria Road, Kano

P.O. Box 10210

Kano State

REGIONAL OFFICE: ADAMAWA

Government Lodge Area

Off Main Drive

Dougerei Layout

Jimeta, Yola

Adamawa State

REGIONAL OFFICE: YOBE

Maiduguri Road,

Adjacent Federal Polytechnic

Near EcoBank,

Damaturu,

Yobe state

CONTACT ADDRESS:

Flat 3, No. 16 P.O.W. Mafemi Crescent

Off Solomon Lar Way

Behind Chida Hotel

Near Daily Trust Newspapers Office

Utako District, Abuja - Nigeria

Tel: 234-08033844646

Website: www.cislacnigeria.netEmail: cislac@

cislacnigeria.net

Still on poor funding for healthcare in Nigeria

A Publication of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016 3

COVER STORY

Continued from page 1

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 20164

health care services”. “In Nigeria

today, the government is using

different methods to address public

health financing. Unfortunately, the

health financing system is still

characterized by low investment by

Government, extensive out of pocket

payments (OOPP), limited insurance

funding and low donor funding,” he

explained.

The Speaker spoke on the need to

revitalize the Primary Health Care

centers across the country, as they are

the first port of call to majority of

Nigerians living in rural areas; and

eliminate the barriers to access health

care delivery through prepayments

and subsequent pooling of funds in

preference to direct out of pocket

payments.

Nigeria: New Legislative Drive to Revitalize Primary Health Care

Unfortunately, the health financing system is

still characterized by low investment by

Government, extensive out of pocket payments

(OOPP), limited insurance funding and low

donor funding…

Dogara

NASS as a transformation

agent

Hon. Okafor noted that the

National Assembly has a crucial role

t o p l a y i n c a t a l y z i n g t h e

transformation of the health sector in

Nigeria, stating that Primary Health

Care, no doubt, remains the most

acceptable approach for achieving a

universal health coverage in our

healthcare system as over 80% of

Nigerians live in the grassroots and

Primary Health Care centres are the

closest health institutions accessible

to them.

He said: “Currently, there are 774

Local Government Areas (LGAs) with

9,572 political wards in Nigeria. At

least, each of the LGAs has one

Primary Health Care Centre that is

not fully functional. Most of these

PHC centres lack drug supplies, basic

health infrastructures, and cannot

boast of good number of medical

personnel. In fact, patients accessing

these PHC centres can hardly afford

the cost of transportation or cost of

subsidized drugs in these centres due

to the economic hardship of most the

rural dwellers.

The Committee Chair reiterated

the impact of non-functional primary

health care in death of 192, 284, 143,

688, 212, 557 people from malaria,

diarrhea diseases, and neonatal and

maternal d isorders in 2015,

respectively.

As the attainment of Universal

Health Coverage in Nigeria hinges on

full functionality of the Primary

Health Care system, he said it was

imperative that current bottleneck

hindering the provision of efficient

Primary Health Care in Nigeria were

identified and removed in a holistic,

inclusive and strategic manner. “A

competent skilled and healthy

workforce is critical to policy and plan

formulation, regulation and service

delivery... Consequently, Nigeria does

not need to wait for the economy to

d e v e l o p b e f o r e i n v e s t i n g

n response to ca l l s and

commitments from the Retreat, Ion 20th October, 2016, the House

Chairman Committee on Health

Services, Hon. Chike John Okafor,

during a plenary session, moved a

motion on the “Urgent Need for

Revitalization and Adequate Funding

of the Primary Health Care System”.

The House mandated the Committee

to convene a public hearing to identify,

harmonize and streamline additional

sources of funding from stakeholders

and report back to the House within

four weeks for further legislative

action. It also urged the Federal

Government to declare a state of

emergency in the Primary Healthcare

Sector in Nigeria.

It is on this backdrop that the

Committee recently organized a two-

day Public Hearing to provide

interface between the House and

relevant stakeholders to identify and

proffer innovative, practical and

measurable strategies of financing

health sector and revitalizing the

Primary Health Care in Nigeria for

the promotion of the good health and

overall wellbeing of the citizens.

Inadequate financing, major

impediment to PHC

Speaking at the public hearing,

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon.

Yakubu Dogara admitted that health

care financing remains “one of the

greatest problems hindering access to

COVER STORY

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016

…with 22% fund provision, Primary Health

Care accounts for highest disease burden and

highest population coverage.

Okafor

substantially in health and human

capital development.

“The national Government must

commit to improving minimum health

services by committing to a timetable

to reach the 15% Abuja Declaration on

Health budget target and must

immediately implement the National

Health Act. This should start by

funding the Basic Health Care

Provision Fund (BHCPF) with no less

than 1% of the Consolidated Revenue

Fund – or about 38.6 billion Naira – in

2017 budget. By providing a minimum

package of health services to all

citizens by creating primary health

care facilities, this fund will save

thousands of lives.

“Delivering this funding could

have a significant impact and put the

country on a path to better health once

and for all. Evidence suggests that a

10% increase in total health

expenditure per capita leads to a 21%

decrease in under-5 mortality rates

and a 22% decrease in infant

mortality rates,”Okafor added.

Poor Funding for Highest

Populated PHC

In its submission at the public

hearing, Civil Society Integrity Group

noted that the current models of

coordination and delivery of care in

the country will continue to fail the

Nigerian people, except systems-

based radical reforms and re-

organisations of the processes are

implemented. It explained that

though with 22% fund provision,

Primary Health Care accounts for

highest disease burden and highest

population coverage. The group urged

the Committee to reverse fund

allocation to health care to reflect

more resources to the Primary Health

Care.

Similarly, Knights of St. John

International called for reversed

funding pyramid in favour of Primary

Health Care where the highest

burden of diseases l ies, and

established standards of service

quality and regulation of practices.

Lack of Political Will to

Implement 1% CRF Provision

The National Immunization

Financing Task Team recalled in

2015, a report by the United Nations

Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimates

that about 750, 000 children in

Nigeria die annually before their 5th

birthday and 28% of the deaths were

caused by diseases that are vaccine

preventable diseases, which resulted

in paralysis (wild polio virus) and

financial burden.

According to the Team, although

Nigeria pays fully for the traditional

vaccines, Gavi supports government

of Nigeria heavily on new financing.

Nigeria however, became illegible for

continued Gavi support thus, the

gradual transition of Gavi support will

commence in 2017 and last till 2021.

During the transition period and

thereafter, Nigeria will need to

mobilise more financial resources to

fill the funding gaps.

It explained that data from

National Primary Health Care

Development Agency shows that

Nigeria needs to appropriate about

$ 1 4 0 m i l l i o n f o r r o u t i n e

immunization vaccine for 2017-18 in

the 2017 Appropriation Act to ensure

timely availability of vaccines. This

unprecedented increase, in the words

of the Team, results from the

introduction of new vaccines, the

increasing infant population, and the

transition out of Gavi support.

Unfortunately, these changes are

occurring in a dynamic context –

historically inadequate budget for

immunization, economic recession

and lack of political will to implement

the 15% Abuja Declaration or not less

than 1% Consolidated Revenue Fund

(CRF) for Basic Heath Care

Development Fund as stipulated in

the National Health Act 2014.

The Team recommended strategic

actions by key policy makers and

stakeholders to ensure sustainable

immunization financing in Nigeria;

enhanced working relationship

between the House and Senate to

ensure adequate budgetary allocation

for vaccine and immunization in 2017

budget. It also, urged the House to

ensure budgetary allocation of not

less than 1% CRF to finance the Basic

Health Care Fund in the 2017 budget.

Monitoring, Review and

Evaluation

The Wellbeing Foundation Africa

in its submission recommended

adoption of weekly review of national

and states data on the current state of

COVER STORY

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 20166

…effective implementation of PHC

objectives has been hampered by lingering

inadequate budgetary allocation.

billion in additional economic output;

in 2015 this would have yielded a

279% return to the economy.

Moreover, every dollar invested in

vaccine programs can yield at least 16

more dollars in economic returns.

Failure to invest in health forfeits

the potential economic benefits for

Nigeria and has life-or-death

consequences,” it warned.

The Coalition recommended

implementation of the National

Health Act, which set aside not less

than 1% of Consolidated Revenue

Fund to the Basic Health Care

Provisions Funds; increased

allocation to the health sector at all

levels of Government to reach the 15%

percent Abuja Declaration benchmark

of African Heads of State in 2001;

increased efficiency and effectiveness

of the health sector spending through

greater value for money strategies;

full and timely release of capital

budget of health sector starting from

2017 financial year; encouraged

public-private partnership to enhance

maternal health through a common

dashboard supported by the Nigeria

Bureau of Statistics, the National

Population Commission, and the

National Primary Healthcare

Development Agency to provide

holistic legislative support towards

adequate financing for Primary

Health Care in the country.

PHC revitalization, long

overdue

Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy

submitted that the need to revitalize

primary health care system in Nigeria

is long overdue, as majority of

Nigerians live in rural areas where

many diseases are prevalent. Many of

these diseases leave Nigerians with

permanent disabilities that may

require lifelong rehabilitation.

T h e g r o u p r e c o m m e n d e d

prioritized attention towards the

rehabilitation of Primary Health

Care; promotion of healthy lifestyle;

flexible, responsive and innovative

approach to developing services that

are reflective of local needs,

environment and available resources.

Life-or-death consequences

Civil Society Organizations in

Health Sector Reform Coalition

(HSRC) noted that investments in

health contribute to a healthy

population, and a healthy population

is paramount to the development of a

thriving and modern economy.

“I f Nigeria increased l i fe

expectancy by just one year, it would

translate to approximately $19.2

adequate fund provision for Primary

Health Care.

Ghana Retreat and Renewed

Legislative health Agenda

In a communiqué signed by Chair,

Committee on Health Services, Hon

Chike John Okafor; Chair, Committee

on Health Institutions Hon (Mrs)

Betty Apiafi; Chair, Committee on

Appropriation, Hon Mustapha Bala

Dawaki; and the Executive Director,

CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa

(Rafsanjani), at the end of the Retreat

in Ghana, it was observed that “while

adequate, accessible and affordable

health care system is paramount to

the survival of the citizens, Nigerian

health care system is one of the worst

hit by inadequate budgetary

allocation, delayed release, lack of

judicious utilisation of the existing

funds, and poor monitoring that

discourage transparency and

accountability at all levels.

“Although Primary Health Care

(PHC) remains the most acceptable

approach to deliver effective,

accessible and acceptable health and

services at all levels, effective

implementation of PHC objectives

has been hampered by lingering

inadequate budgetary allocation.

“Delayed domestication and

implementation of the international,

continental and regional conventions

and protocols on health as well as the

2014 National Health Act, inadequate

budgetary allocation to health sector,

poor monitoring and lack of judicious

utilisation of the existing funds has

hampered accountability, and

effective provision and distribution of

basic health package across the

country.

“Revenue Deficit amounting to

N 2 . 2 t r i l l i o n i n t h e 2 0 1 6

Appropriation Act, and the existing

lowest revenue-to-GDP ratio pose

inherent challenge to the adequate

financing for health care system in

Nigeria, including the allocation of

statutory 1% Consolidated Revenue

Fund as provides in the 2014 National

Health Act.

“Delayed incorporat ion of

COVER STORY

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016 7

funding to the State Governments;

development of sustainable self-

funded and legislative-backed

immunisation plan through the

creation of an Immunisation Trust

Fund (ITF), a public-private vehicle to

fund procurement of vaccines and

drive critical research and acquisition

of appropriate technologies to

encourage local production of

immunisation vaccine, with the goal

of reducing and eliminating reliance

on importation; innovative financing

of Primary Health Care delivery

through various sources within short,

medium and long-term such as

economic diversification, use of % of

existing taxes and additional taxes on

Cigarettes and alcohol; investment in

preventive healthcare services and

infrastructure, including the

reactivation of DDT as an immediate

means to eradicating malarial at all

levels; local and State governments

ought to revive Primary health by

m a k i ng a d e q ua t e b ud g e t a ry

provisions so the Federal government

can face its responsibility of tertiary

health care.

T h e R e t r e a t f u r t h e r

recommended strengthening of

legislative oversight in Primary

Health Care financing through

legislative-executive collaboration

and creation of synergies to promote

transparency and accountability in

the management of funds for Primary

Health Care system; and proactively

creation of an enabling environment

to ensure effective and sustainable

Primary Health care and childhood

immunization financing in Nigeria.

Information Communication and

Technology into heal th care

management and delivery in the

country impedes adequate tracking

a n d m o n i t o r i n g a n d t i m e l y

achievement of Primary Health Care

objectives.

“Over-concentration of skilled

health workers in the urban areas at

the expense of the rural areas health

impedes effective health delivery and

ac cess t o adequate pr imary

healthcare at the grassroots.

Improved access, quality and equity in

the health sector are enabled by

adequate investment, infrastructure,

appropriate oversight and effective

institutional governance.

“Lack of political will by some

State and Local Governments to fulfill

counterpart commitments on health

care financing is a great impediment

to adequate primary health care in

Nigeria.”

The communiqué observed that

N i g e r i a h a s h i t h e r t o n o t

independently funded or produced its

own vaccine as a result of inadequate

funding for health and untapped

capacity or technical know-how for the

local production of vaccine; and

adequate revenue generation in

Nigeria to financing critical sector like

health is hindered by unchecked illicit

financial flows, loopholes in tax

collection and administration at all

levels.

The Retreat recommended

integrating Primary Health Care

u n d e r o n e r o o f t o i m p r o v e

coordination, effective management,

functional and quality healthcare

system, especially at local levels;

adoption of ICT-based approach in the

N i g e r i a h e a l t h c a r e s y s t e m

management and delivery to attain

cost-saving, adequate, accessible and

appropriate health service delivery at

all levels; provision of adequate

technology and innovation to

generate, analyse and communicate

health data disaggregated by gender,

age, geographical location, health

status amongst others; improved

incentive and reward system aimed at

encouraging and motivating health

workers, especially in the rural areas

to reduce rural-urban migration of

skilled health workers.

Part ic ipants recommended

flexibility in the implementation of

the National Health Act 2014 through

p a r t i c i p a t o r y a n d i n c l u s i v e

procedures to recognise the various

local context and peculiarities

i m p a c t i n g o n t h e e f f e c t i v e

implementation of the Act by the State

Governments; creation of enabling

institutional, legal and policy

environment to ensure increased

public-private investment in Primary

Health Care in order to promote

health care technology and innovation

and accessible and affordable health

care delivery at all level.

On financing for Primary Health

Care, the Retreat recommended

adequate Primary Health Care

financing in Nigeria through

enhanced political actions for resource

mobi l isat ion and ful l - f ledged

implementation of the National

Health Act 2014 with prioritised

attention to the 1% provision of

Consolidated Revenue Fund from the

national budget; improved budgeting

system through performance-based

approach to priorit is ing and

addressing endemic challenges

confronting the implementation of the

National Health Act 2014 and

adequate Primary Health Care

financing in Nigeria; establishment of

a Ministerial Fund Disbursement

Committee to ensure appropriate

tracking, monitoring and effective

management of the 1% statutory

allocation to health, to address

inherent problems of counterpart

Improved access, quality and equity in the

health sector are enabled by adequate

investment, infrastructure, appropriate

oversight and effective institutional

governance.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 20168

he Senate President, Dr. Abubakar TBukola Saraki, has expressed readiness of the National Assembly to support the Nigerian Air Force in the development and deployment of Made-In-Nigeria technology in its operations.

The Senate President who was represented by the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Air Force, Senator Ali Wakili, added that: “We must seek them out from wherever they may lie in our people by providing them with a platform to grow. As you must be well aware, with our institutional push towards marketing 'Made in Nigeria' ideas, ideals, goods and services to the rest of the world, the Air Force has a staunch partner in the National Assembly.

“I want you to also know that as you work to expand the scope of these ideas, the National Assembly is ready and willing to do all that it takes to help you get them off the ground through the appropriation process. Nigeria must maximize the applicability of the

cutting edge designs that are on display today — and the countless others that we have neglected over the years.

“As we do this, we must begin to look inwards in order to provide funding for these ideas that can help us address our current security challenges and advance our military technology,” Saraki said.

The Senate President reiterated that the Senate, through the passage of laws like the Public Procurement Act and the ongoing consideration of the

Federal Competition Bill, would continue to work to provide the legal platforms to enable local enterprise and innovation.

While commending the leadership of the Air Force for leading the way in innovat ion and loca l content development, Saraki said: “We will continue to tweak our laws to provide level playing fields that will allow our local innovators and entrepreneurs to benefit from the over N2 trillion Naira that is available each year in the Public Procurement Process.”

he Nigerian Senate has c o n s t i t u t e d a n A d h o c Committee to investigate T

Nigerian Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and other revenue generating agencies of government over alleged non-remittance of billions in revenue.

This followed a motion sponsored by Sen. Solomon Adeola. The Committee which will be chaired by the sponsor of the motion Sen. Adeola is to report back to the senate in six weeks.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, while setting up the committee, bemoaned the practice. He said revenue agencies generated over N1.5 trillion in 2015, but could only

he National Assembly has Tapproved the virement of N213 billion from the 2016 Appropriation Act.

The approval was sequel to the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, chaired by Senator Danjuma Goje. He said N25bn was provided for the payment of local contractors and N5bn for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Ministry of Housing.

President Buhari had requested N180bn virement but the House of Representatives passed the virement and jerked it up to N208billipn, while Senate raised it to N213billion.

The breakdown of the virement approval for recurrent shows that Public Service Wage Adjustment (PSWA) N71.8billion; Contingency

deliver less than N500 billion in 2016.“As I keep on hammering,

independent revenue and non-oil revenue are very important areas of our budget. This independent revenue is 37 per cent. You remember that last year it was almost N1.5 trillion and am being told now that this year is likely to come down to 500 billion because they could not meet the target.

“The inability to meet the target is not that they do not have the capacity to meet the target. The problem is that there is too much abuse on these operating surpluses where people spend up to the last naira in all,” he said.

N1.2billion; margin for increase in cost (MIC)N2billion; cadet feeding (Police Academy, Kano) N932million and Amnesty Programme N35billion.

Others are internal operations of the Armed forces N5.2billion, Operation Lafiya Dole N13.9 billion, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) N19.7billion, Foreign M i s s i o n s N 1 6 . 3 b i l l i o n a n d augmentation of meal subsidy/ direct teaching and laboratory cost N900million; Public Complaints Commission N2.5bn,the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) N12.7billion and Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) N1.5billion, payment of local contractors N250 billion and N5 b i l l i on was f o r Sus ta inab le Development Goals (SDGs) in the Ministry of Housing.

s part of the efforts to reduce Aalleged influence of governors in financial management, the National Assembly has declared readiness to grant financial autonomy to local government councils and state Houses of Assembly.

This was made known by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, in recent interview with journalist in Abuja.

He reiterated the resolve of the National Assembly to grant financial autonomy to the 774 l o ca l government councils in the country. Dogara lamented that lack of elections at the local government level were crippling democracy and d e n y i n g t h e m u c h n e e d e d development at the third tier of government.

Dogara said the House under his leadership, was in the process of granting financial autonomy to 36 State Houses of Assembly. He described as “evil”, a situation where governors constitute themselves as middlemen and continuously hijacking funds meant for the councils in the name of joint account.

Non-Remittance of Revenue: Senate probes revenue generating agencies

Senate Approves FG's N213 Billion Virement

Senate Moves to Support Air Force for Made-In-Nigeria Technology

Reps Want Financial Autonomy for LGAs, State Assemblies

STATE ASSEMBLY

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016 9

he Governor Lagos S ta te , TAkinwunmi Ambode has presented an estimated N812.99 billion to the State's House of Assembly as 2017 Appropriation Bill.

In the budget tagged: “Golden Jubilee Budget”, presented to the Assembly, road infrastructure got the highest allocation with N138.249 billion, followed by education, which got N92.400bn and health, N57.290bn.

Also, Transportation got N51.376bn in the budget, while housing received N50.290bn. Others are: Water, N18.181bn; Tourism, N20.247bn;

Agriculture and Food Security, N4.795bn; Environment, N38.129bn; Sports Development, N9.457bn; Commerce and Industry, N6.177bn; Wealth and Employment Creation, N6.250 billion; Women Affairs, N2.193bn; and Social Development, N2.698bn; Governance, N11.098bn; Science and Technology, N11.006bn and Security, Law and Order, N31.246bn.

Commenting on the Appropriation Bill, the State's Commissioner, Ministry of Finance/ Economic Planning and Budget Akinyemi Ashade, said in the preparation of the 2017 budget, recent

Ambode Presents N812.99b Appropriation Bill for 2017

he Ebonyi State Governor, David TUmahi has presented to the state House of Assembly a budget proposal of N127.2 billion for 2017.

The Appropriation Bill, entitled “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction in Economic Recession”, sets aside N87.1 billion for capital expenditure and N40.171 billion for recurrent spending.

The economic sector got N57.1 billion as the largest allocation from the capital

he Kaduna State House of TAssembly has passed into law, the state's budget of N214.9 billion for 2017 fiscal year.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Aminu Shagali, who read the content of the budget clause by clause, said N83.46 billion was approved for recurrent and N131.45 for capital expenditure, adding that the budget would cover from now till December 31, 2017.

spending. The governor said the money would go into providing roads, water, electricity, agriculture, education, commerce and industries. The social sector got N14.1 billion, while administration received N9.9 billion.

The governor said the state would borrow N40 billion to accelerate growth. He explained that the money would enable the government complete ongoing road, agricultural, and infrastructural projects.

The Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Ahmed Mohammed, revealed that the N1 billion cut from the original proposal was from the expected revenue of two agencies.

He said that revenue projection of the state Geographic Information System and Internal Revenue Service was reduced by N500 million for each of the agencies, in view of current economic realities.

he Kano State House of Assembly Thas raised alarm over the low

number of beneficiaries of the Federal

G o v e r n m e n t ' s E m p o w e r m e n t

Programme, N-power, selected from

the state.

The Speaker of the House, Kabiru

Rurum, stated this while briefing

journalists on the issue in Kano.

He said: “Despite the fact that

Kano is the most populous state in the

country, available data has shown

that over 20,000 youths from the state

applied for the scheme, yet only 4,966

were selected. Such selection process

is against the spirit of federal

character, and we are not satisfied

with the selection method.”

He cited examples of other states

that were not as densely populated as

Kano but were allocated more

chances than the state, adding that

the Assembly would not relent in its

efforts to ensure that fair play

prevailed in the selection process.

The Speaker revealed that the

House had written a letter to

President Muhammadu Buhari, the

Senate President and the Speaker of

the House of Representatives,

appealing to them to look into the

selection process again.

N-power Jobs: Kano Assembly wants slots increased

he Akwa Ibom House of Assembly Thas confirmed 18 Commissioner nominees and two Special Advisers as requested by State's Governor, Udom Emmanuel.

The confirmation of the nominees followed their screening by the Committee of the Whole.

The mot ion leading to the confirmation was moved by House Leader, Mr. Udo Akpan and seconded by Mr. Aniekan Bassey.

The new commissioners are Mr. Paul Udofia, Mr. Ime Ekpo, Dr Nse Essien, Prof. Eno Ikpe, Mr. Idoroenyin Udo and Mr. Nsikan Nkan, Mr. Uduak Udoinyang, Mr. Charles Udo, Mr. Orman Esin, Dr. Iniobong Essien, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, Mr. Uwemidimo

Nwoko and Mr. Victor Antai, Mr. Monday Uko, Dr. Glory Edet, Mr. Udoh Ekpenyong, Mr. Akan Okon as well as Mr. Ephraim Inyang.

The new Special Advisers are Mr. Ekong Sampson and Mrs Ekemini Umoh.

The Speaker of the House, Mr. Onofiok Luke, said that the nominees during the screening exhibited high level of intelligence and responsibility, urging them to help the governor in his endeavour to build a strong state.

It would be recalled that the governor forwarded the list of 18 nominees and two special advisers to the Assembly on November 25 for confirmation.

Akwa Ibom State Assembly Confirms 18 Nominees as Commissioners

Ebonyi Governor Presents N127.2B Appropriation Bill for 2017

Kaduna Assembly Approves N214.9 Billion 2017 Budget

developments around the world had been put into consideration, especially in the global and national economy spheres.

“We have maintained a conservative approach in estimating our Federal Allocation due to falling oil prices that was about $41.98 per barrel at the time we finalized the budget; the State expects an increase in Federal allocation through 13% derivation from Oil and Gas in 2017, however, the budget would largely be driven by Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) made up of taxes, rates, levies and so on.

“The 2017 budget will continue to promote massive investments in s e c u r i t y , I n f r a s t r u c t u r e , transport/traffic management, physical and social infrastructural development, environment, health, housing, tourism, power, e- governance, education, agriculture and skill acquisition,” he said.

ADVERTORIAL

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 201610

Request for Proposal

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre

(CISLAC), by this medium is requesting for proposals

from a competent individual consultant to undertake a

mapping of the level of reportage of cases of Internal

Displacement in Nigeria. The focus is to enable

stakeholders have a baseline analysis of media

reportage of displacement issues as it relates to

causes, trends and citizens' perception across the

media.

This Call falls under the framework of the project

“Engaging State and Non-State Actors towards a

National Internally Displaced Persons Policy and Act

in Nigeria” and is supported by the Swiss Government

in Nigeria through the Human Security Division (HSD).

Background to the Project

The upsurge in the number of persons affected by

internal displacement in Nigeria has resulted in a high

number of individuals and families being made to

abandon their original abode and ancestral homes.

Fleeing violence and environmentally induced internal

displacement, activities of insurgent groups like the

Boko Haram has also led to the displacement of over 2

million Nigerians in the north eastern region of the

country alone, while other regions such as the north

central, south east and south-south continue to play

host to displaced persons occasioned by a multiplicity

of factors.

With a growing desire to improve welfare, provide

assistance and durable solutions for the surging

number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

requiring a broad range of stakeholder engagement

and multiplicity of proven strategies in the country,

there remains an ever present and incessant need for

scaling up intervention in this area especially as it

relates to novel ideas and initiatives that will contribute

durable solutions and broaden approaches needed

for addressing challenges of internal displacement in

Nigeria.

CISLAC has since prior to the insurgency in the

country been engaging in advocacy for the

introduction of institutional frameworks as a proactive

measure in nipping in the bud the menace of internal

displacement. CISLAC is currently at the

Media Mapping of Reportage of Internal Displacement Issues in Nigeria: Causes, Trends, Scope and Citizens' Perception Analysis

implementation stage of the project “Engaging State

and Non-State Actors towards a National Internally

Displaced Persons Policy and Act in Nigeria”. The

project aims at supporting the introduction of

institutional frameworks that include legislation and a

national policy that will in the main be the overarching

state driven mechanism guiding intervention of both

State and Non State Actors (NSAs) wherever and

whenever displacement issues occur.

Objective of the Consultancy

The objective of this call is to recruit one individual

media consultant to undertake a mapping/baseline

study of media reportage across the traditional media

in the country as part of its project implementation.

This is towards contributing to improved factual

reports of cases of displacement across the country.

The outcomes of the mapping will also contribute to

cultivating the media and creating a conducive and

favourable environment for improved and increased

media coverage of displacement issues with a view

towards establishing citizens' perception in the

context of displacement.

In light of the forgoing and in contributing to available

information on the subject matter, CISLAC under the

framework of the aforementioned project is seeking to

recruit one individual consultant to carry out a media

mapping/baseline study on the level of available

reportage in the media on the issue of internal

displacement in the country.

Activity

The activity in this call entails establishment of a

baseline media reportage of internal displacement

issues in the country in the last one year and the

mapping of media reportage in the next one year. The

need for this arises from the very critical role of the

media in such human endeavour and hence important

to show the media houses actively reporting on issues

of Internal displacement, type of reportage (whether

factual or not) and challenges deterring the quality of

reports produced on the issue. The outcome of this

activity will serve as a baseline that will be used to

measure reportage during and at the end of the

implementation of this project through the Media/Civil

Society forum.

ADVERTORIAL

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016 11

Scope of work

The relevance of this project is aligned with the very

crucial role the media plays, especially in the

formation of public opinion, dissemination of

information, and sensitization of the general public.

While the current realities of the insurgency in the

country, coupled with other environmentally induced

displacements, have drastically escalated IDPs

figures. There appears to be very little being done in

mapping and tracking the level of reportage and the

contribution of the media so far in contributing to

understanding the phenomena.

The study aims at contributing to the above, focusing

on a systemic approach in the manner in which the

media reports internal displacement either across

traditional or new media.

Methodology

Based on an agreed Project Implementation Schedule

(PIS), the consultant to be engaged for the study will

be expected to develop and submit a concept note

which details the methodology and timetable

proposed for the study. This will be reviewed and

approved by CISLAC prior to the commencement of

the study.

The baseline study will entail the submission of an

inception report to CISLAC to ascertain the level of

reportage currently available across the media on the

causes, trends, scope and citizens' perception in

relation to displacement in the country. With focus on

the north east and north central regions of the country,

the media analysis will also spotlight reportage of

displacement in the south-eastern and south-south

states that have been affected by both environmental

and conflict induced displacement.

Expected Output

A Consultancy Report detailing the various media

outfits mapped and the extent of their reportage on

internal displacement in the country. The report should

also show the level of reports at inception of

consultancy, level of improvement and/or otherwise at

close, the role and impact of the media in providing

factual reports and contributing to remedying internal

displacement whenever they occur.

Responsibilities/Tasks

The successful Media Consultant shall amongst other

things:

1. Track and monitor emerging issues around internal

displacement in the Nigerian media space.

2. Ensure that a response mechanism is in place to

evaluate and respond to relevant media reports

and cultivate citizens' perception for promoting

IDPs/Host community relations in Nigeria.

3. Develop a media monitoring system of internal

displacement stories in the newspapers and

through electronic alert systems like Google

alerts.

4. Contribute to CISLAC's efforts in providing

adequate publicity of issue of internal

displacement within the media space with a view

towards approaching remedies through

institutional methods and frameworks such as

policy and legislation.

Selection Criteria

The successful Consultant shall amongst other things

possess the under-listed credentials

1. Have a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in

Journalism, Mass Communication, Public Health,

the Humanities/Management Sciences or related

fields of study. An advanced degree will be an

added advantage.

2. Have a minimum of 5years experience of working

in a development and/or media related outfit.

3. Show evidence of completion of similar task in the

past that he/she has conducted.

The successful applicant must have knowledge of the

African Union Convention for the Protection and

Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons and the

national level frameworks for addressing internal

displacement in Nigeria.

Method of Application

A l l a p p l i c a t i o n s s h o u l d b e s e n t t o

cislac@cislacnigeria.net on or before midnight of

Monday 12th of December 2016 with the subject line:

“MAPPING OF MEDIA REPORTAGE ON IDPs in

NIGERIA”.

All applications received will be reviewed by a

Committee with a final selection being based on

principles of objectivity, impartiality and neutrality.

Female candidates are strongly advised to apply.

The project is supported by the Embassy of

Switzerland in Nigeria in collaboration with the United

Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UHNCR)

PHOTOSPEAK

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 201612

Participants in group photo at two-day workshop on “Post-conflict Reintegration and Reconstruction” organized by CISLAC in Abuja.

Participants in a group

photo after a Two-day

Summit for State Policy

Makers on “Financing

Nutrition in Northern

Nigeria” organized by

Federal Ministry of Budget

and National Planning in

partnership with CISLAC

and UNICEF in Kano state

Acting Chairman, Economic

and Financial Crimes

Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim

Magu, flanked to the left by

the Commission's Directors

and right by CISLAC's team,

during advocacy visit to the

Commission by latter.

GENDER AND MATERNAL HEALTH

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016 13

provide care. Free maternal and

child health services are provided in

all the 34 health facilities belonging

to the State government and 116

LGA-owned Primary Health Care

facilities.

Health indices are poor as can be

seen in the maternal mortality ratio

of 1025/10000 live births, infant

mortality and child mortality rates

are 114 and 269/ 1000 live births

respectively.

Political commitment to health

development, especially at the Local

Government level is poor. While the

State government has articulated a

number of policies and laws aimed at

reforming the health services, some

crucial ones are yet to be operational

with a whole lot suffering from

implementation problems.

There is poor coordination and

lack of effective health leadership,

especially at the LGA level. Health

funding is low, unpredictable and not

timely. Out-of pocket expenditure

remains the dominant method of

financing health care in the State.

There is gross inequity in the

distribution of health facilities and

health personnel.

Shortages of drugs remain a

problem as well as dearth of

equipment, especially at the PHC

level. There are gaps in the quantity,

quality and mix of health care

personne l . Serv i ces r emain

fragmented, not integrated and

essentially limited to clinic-based

interventions, and referral systems

are poorly developed. The health

management information system is

poorly developed and it excludes the

p r i v a t e s e c t o r . C o m m u n i t y

participation is poor and the state

public private partnership policy is

yet to become fully operational.

According to the report, Kaduna

State has an Essential Services and

Systems Package that has defined

the essential services to be provided,

Examining Maternal Health Policies in Kaduna, Katsina States

By Chioma Kanu

Kaduna State has an Essential Services and

Systems Package that has defined the essential

services to be provided.

iger ia has numerous

e x i s t i n g p o l i c i e s , Nframeworks and related

guidelines to improve Maternal

New-born and Child Health.

Nevertheless, it has failed to

deliver adequate healthcare to the

majority of its women and children,

largely due to inadequate funding

a n d r e s o u r c e s , i n e q u i t a b l e

implementation and lack of

transparency and accountability.

In order to gain comprehensive

study of the existing maternal health

policies and programs towards

addressing the high burden of

maternal and child morbidities and

mortalities across Kano, Kaduna,

Katsina and Jigawa states, the Civil

Society Legislative Advocacy Centre

(CISLAC) in collaboration with

MacArthur Foundation recently

published a study entitled, “Audit

report of health programs and

policies in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina &

Jigawa states”.

Kaduna State is the third most

populous State in Nigeria with an

estimated population of 6.4 million

people (2009) spread across 23 Local

Government Areas and 255 wards.

Subsistence agriculture is the

dominant occupation of the people.

Health care services in the State are

provided from a total of 1,692 health

care facilities; and 40.2% of these

health facilities belong to the private

sector. 96.5% of all the health

facilities are primary health care,

3.2% secondary health care and 0.3%

tertiary health care facilities.

In addition, there is a rich

network of traditional healers and

patent medicine vendors that

KADUNA STATE

GENDER AND MATERNAL HEALTH

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 201614

the infrastructure, staffing and

drugs required for each level of the

public health care system. What is

left is to revise it to include all

integrated maternal, newborn and

child health components.

The main components of the

KESSP include integrated maternal

newborn and child health that

includes childhood immunizations,

provision of child spacing, antenatal,

delivery, basic emergency and

comprehensive emergency services

and newborn resuscitation services;

growth monitoring promotion of

exc lusive breast feeding and

micronutrient supplementation;

malaria prevention and control

t h r o u g h p r o v i s i o n o f A C T ,

intermittent preventive therapy to

pregnant women, long lasting

insecticide treated nets to pregnant

women and children aged less than 5

years.

As part of the key milestones on

Free Maternal and Child Health

(FMCH) by the State Government, in

2011, the Government committed to

scaling up provision of FMCH

services from 115 to 255 facilities.

The Government has implemented

the Primary Health Care and Drug

Management Agencies by appointing

of management and staff, allocating

of office space, and specifying

budgets in the 2013 Appropriation

Law.

The Government has transferred

m a n a g e m e n t o f t h e F M C H

programme from the Governor's

office to the Ministry of Health,

under the supervision of the

Permanent Secretary; and approved

additional 500 million naira to

enhance the provision of free

healthcare services to pregnant

women and children under-five –

having already increased the health

budget for three successive years.

While a board chairman has been

appointed for state primary health

care development agency following

ascension of its establishment law in

the state, in 2015, Memorandum of

Understanding was signed between

Health services provision in

Katsina is organized like in other

parts of the country- into three levels

of tertiary, secondary and primary

levels. The federal government is

responsible for the provision of

tertiary services in Federal Medical

centre, Katsina, while the state runs

the secondary health care centers

through the hospital services

management board, and the State

Primary Health Care Development

A g e n c y , w h i c h h e l p s w i t h

coordination and technical support

of PHC activities and partners'

activities.

In Katsina State, patients

attending a local government facility

pay for basic ANC services, malaria

t reatment and prophylaxis ,

ultrasound scan, basic lab tests,

delivery, blood transfusion services

and card/registration. They also pay

f o r d e l i v e r y s e r v i c e s ,

gloves/supplies, investigations,

drugs and do buy razors, pad, soap,

dettol, wrapper, towel and slippers

when coming for delivery.

As such, majority of populace still

do not consider the maternal health

services as free as they have to pay

for drip set and extra gloves with

some user charges.

C u r r e n t l y t h e s t a t e i s

characterized by lack of effective

stewardship role of government,

fragmented health service delivery,

i n a d e q u a t e a n d i n e f f i c i e n t

f i n a n c i n g , w e a k h e a l t h

infrastructure, inadequate and mal-

distribution of health workforce and

weak coordination amongst key

players.

The total population is about 6 million, of which

4% are infants, 20% under 5s, and 22% are

women between the ages of 15 to 49. The state has

one of the highest Maternal Mortality Rate in the

country and efforts are directed at addressing

this problem.

Kaduna state government, Dangote

Foundation and Bill and Melinda

Gates Foundation towards polio

eradication initiative and routine

immunization services.

The Katsina State Ministry of

Health has three important arms:

State Pr imary Health Care

Development Agency (bridging the

gap between PHC and secondary

level), the Hospital services

management board responsible for

hospitals, and State College of

Health Sciences which is responsible

for training of Mid-level Health

cadre.

The policy and regulatory

functions are done by the State

Ministry of Health, while the LGAs

have the mandate of providing PHC

services to the communities the state

PHC Development Agency co-

ord inates , c o l laborates and

supervises the Local Governments.

The total population is about 6

million, of which 4% are infants, 20%

under 5s, and 22% are women

between the ages of 15 to 49. The

state has one of the highest Maternal

Mortality Rate in the country and

efforts are directed at addressing

this problem. It has 1,427 health

facilities, 21 general hospitals and 22

CHC.

ANC attendance is about 55% but

delivery in health facilities by skilled

attendants is about 10%. There are

480 midwives and 981 nurses in the

state with one each in some LGAs.

KATSINA STATE

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016 15

only be achieved by deliberate

investment in nutritional needs of

her citizens through both preventive

and curative means of eradicating

malnutrition at all levels. This can

only be made possible if the

government at all levels make food

security a priority over a long term.

“There are 2.5 million children in

Nigeria who are 9 times more likely

to die because they are severely

malnourished. If treatment is not

provided about half a million of them

will die in 2017 alone. Majority of

these children, about 2 million, are in

There are 2.5 million children in

Nigeria who are 9 times more “likely to die because they are

severely malnourished; and if

treatment is not provided about half

a million of them will die in 2017

alone,” Executive Director, CISLAC,

Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)

has said.

This was made known by the

Director while giving a welcome

address at a “Two Day Summit for

the State Policy Makers on

Financing Nutrition in Northern

Nigeria” organized by Federal

Ministry of Budget and National

Planning in partnership with Civil

Society Legislative Advocacy Centre

(CISLAC) and United Nations

Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Kano

state.

The CISLAC's boss, who was

represented by Mallam Nura Maaji,

Program Offcer, CISLAC Kano

Regional Office, said no nation could

develop without substantial and

consistent investment in nutrition,

w h i c h p r o m o t e s i n c r e a s e d

opportunity for her citizen to

creatively engage in productive,

income generation and wealth

creating activities.

He said: “Productive citizens can

Northern Nigeria.

“The other consequences of

malnutrition such as stunting,

causes lower IQ resulting in poor

performance in formal wall, reduced

productivity in adulthood and

consequently intensify child

morbidity and mortality.”

The Executive Director added:

“There are national policies and

strategies developed to address

malnutrition. These are National

Food and Nutrition Policy and the

National Strategic Plan of Action for

Nutrition. The operationalization of

these policy documents, including

funding is a major driver towards

reducing the high burden of

malnutrition and prevention of

n e e d l e s s d e a t h s i n o u r

communities.”

While admitting that states

across the North bear the severity of

malnutrition in Nigeria, he

encouraged the Northern states'

governments to access internal and

external opportunities to leverage

required resources and partnership

to address malnutrition.

There are 2.5 million children in

Nigeria who are 9 times more likely to die

because they are severely malnourished.

GENDER AND MATERNAL HEALTH

'Majority of severely malnourished children are in Northern Nigeria' – CISLAC

By Chioma Kanu

Dr. Kabiru I. Getso, Kano State Honourable Commissioner for Health (left) and Dr. Arjan De Wagt, Chief of Nutrition, UNICEF Country Office Abuja

OPINION

16

egislative Approval is the

consideration by the two LChambers of the National

Assembly of the proposed Budget for

the next financial year termed

“Appropriation Bill” which will

result in “Appropriation Act” to be

implemented by the executive arm.

After the budget derived from

the medium term expenditure

frame work by the executive arm,

the President should present the

Appropriation Bill, which consists

proposed Budget revenue and

expenditure to the joint sitting of

National Assembly demanding

legislative Approval as required by

section 8 (a) of the constitution. As

soon as the President presents the

budget estimate to the National

Assembly, the National Assembly

has the capacity to amend or reject

the budget proposal of the executive,

and to substitute (part of) a budget.

Very few parliaments fall into this

category.

The United States Congress,

which has power to determine the

budget policy, is good example of his

category. After presenting an

Appropriation Bill before the

National Assembly, the proposed

budged is accompanied by copy of

projected revenues and expenditure

profile for the next 2 year's report of

revenue and expenditure and budget

for the one and a half year up to June

of the last financial year.

Each house of the National

Assembly, under the leadership of

Senate President or Speaker of the

House of Representatives introduces

the Appropriation Bill to the House

for the First Reading, the Bill is

published in the Gazette. But If the

Bill was not published in the

Gazette, the Senate President or

S p e a k e r o f H o u s e o f

Representatives should raise a

motion for leave to introduce the Bill

put forward to the House. The

Appropriation Bill is then referred

to Appropriation committee while

the public hearing will be allowed

through public announcement to the

stakeholders who have the Interest

in the Bill such as civil society,

pressure groups, Associations,

professional bodies experts and so on.

The Appropriation committee

group assign the various functional

budget to the respective committee

where MDAs Involved will appear

for defense. That is, a functional

budget of health sector, which

consist Ministries, Department and

Agencies under the Ministry of

Health should be assigned to the

Senate or House Standing Committee

on Health matters for defense. After

necessary defense by various MDAs,

relevant committees of the Assembly

present their reports to the Senate or

House Appropriation Committee as

the case may be . Then the

Appropriation committee of each

Chamber gather resolutions by the

Committees, so as to make a master

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016

Budgetary Process: Understanding the Role of Legislature (2)

By Usman A. Aliyu

budget which will be a single

budget for the Federal Government.

The Appropriation Committee of

Senate and the House gather under a

l a r g e r J o i n t A p p r o p r i a t i o n

Commit tee t o reconc i l e the

differences of the two houses. It is at

this stage, “budget padding” could

arise.

If the Joint Appropriation

Committee finally comes up with

the report which should be

considered as an Appropriation for

the year then each Appropriation

committee of the two houses will

take reconciled report and laid it

before the plenary where the

chairman of the committee will

ask for consideration. As soon as the

report is considered the budget

becomes Appropriation Act for the

year.

Thereafter, an Appropriation Act

should be forwarded to the President

for his assent. If the president fail

to assent the Bill within thirty

days, then the budget will be brought

back to legislative arm, and if both

Continued on page 20

DECLARATION

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016 17

ivil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) with support from Global Affairs Canada and Transparency International held a One Day Focus Group Discussion on citizens' role towards Strengthening C

Accountability in the Nigeria Defence Sector (SANDS). The Focus Group Discussion was attended by Anti-corruption focused NGOs from Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Imo and Ebonyi states. Community influence and opinion Leaders, Council Officials, Youth Groups, Women Associations, Students and Community Based Organizations. After exhaustive deliberations on the aim of the Focus Group Discussion which is to elicit citizens participation in strengthening accountability in the defence sector. We, the participants:

Recognize that the scale of abuse of Security Votes at State level and Defence Budget at National Level is best left to the imagination when extrapolated from the brazen corruption to which non-discretionary spending is usually subjected to in our country. For instance, revelations from how security funds were allegedly disbursed by the South Eastern Sates suggests that: Enugu spends 600m monthly and 7.2billion per annum while Anambra spends 850m/monthly and 10.2billion per annum, and so on are indication of the abuse to which such discretionary spending is subjected in Nigeria.

Also Recognize that there are no specific projects attached to the provision called security votes and because it is not tagged to any project, and because it is not usually audited or accounted for, their Excellencies spend it on anything but security. They use it to expand their harems, acquire choice properties, or simply deplore it to simply run their perceived or real enemies out of town. This way, “security votes” have become synonymous to kalokalo gaming machine. It gulps billions of naira, every month, without yielding anything to Nigerian taxpayers from whose sweat the budget is drawn. Another name for security vote is slush fund. The freebie is part of the reasons Presidents, Governors and Local Government Chairmen in this democracy have been living like mythical kings over a thousand thrones

Express our Deep Concern over the spread of abuse and corruption at all levels of government; it has been extended to virtually all public agencies, including academic institutions. More than ever before, Nigeria is in dire need of accountable and public-spirited leadership. The governors, many of whom are now seeking public sympathy on their inability to pay the wages of their workers, should urgently remedy their profligate ways.

Note that that the National and State Assemblies should as a matter of urgency begin the publication of defence and security revenue and expenditure to encourage transparency, drill down accountability, stimulate citizens' participation and openness in governance. This will largely demonstrate to the citizens that government is committed to its commitment at the Anti-Corruption Summit in London earlier in the year.

Also Note that not all security expenditure (properly understood as such) can stand public scrutiny without jeopardising its overarching purpose of maintenance of law and order. But nothing can justify the current situation where the executive at all levels allocate to themselves jumbo sums of money that is spent without any accountability on issues that have nothing to do with the security or welfare of the people. Invariably, security votes have become a clever way by which political office holders, in implicit collusion with, or exploitation by, security agencies, defraud the public.

Further Note that the National and State Assemblies should legislate over security vote that will clearly define how monies will be spent or appropriated for. The law will essentially provide strong accountability framework as well as clear departure from the traditional methods of taking monies without any audit process. Civil society Organizations will organize and mobilize through

sustained networks and partnerships.

We Commit to advocate for budget credibility in the defence budget as it remains an important aspect for citizens to engage, it has also become a difficult area to investigate, particularly because of the lack of detailed data availability. Overtime in Nigeria, plans or policies approved in the paper, bear little resemblance to the actual pattern of public financial activity that took place by the end of the budget period.

We Affirm that civil society actors will continue to influence horizontal accountability in two main ways: directly, by encouraging the creation and empowerment of institutional checks and balances, and indirectly, by strengthening the institutions of vertical accountability that underpin them, such as inclusiveness in the development of defence and security policies and strengthening civil military relations. The causal arrow also points in the other direction, however. Weak institutions of horizontal accountability can also undermine vertical accountability, which in turn weakens civil society actors.

We Endorse an improvement in the existing structure of Ministry of Defence as well as strengthening of the audit unit of the Defence Headquarters to ensure some levels of independence for proper accountability. This is important because sound fiscal policy and its attendant fiscal responsibility can have important long-run effects on the security of a nation through its desired impact on growth of productivity, reduction of insecurity and inequality and increased national saving.

Will ensure that awareness are raised continuously in the media as a network of organizations working to strengthen active citizenship towards amplifying the need to move beyond transparency to accountability in the Nigeria Defence budget, spending and reconciliations.

Shall Effectively engage defence budget comprehensively with orderly provision of public resources to public purposes and covering the field, budget transparency refers to the extent and ease with which citizens can access information on the budget and provide feedback to government on revenues, allocations, and expenditures. Comprehensive budgets will be expected to increase accountability and transparency and enable policymakers' and public scrutiny over the spending of public funds.

Will Support the review of the Public Procurement Act to remove the clause that provides complete exemption for military procurement. The immediate inauguration of the National Procurement Council should be given priority as a demonstration of this administration's commitment to fight corruption.

Agreed that there is already some failure in governance, Civil Society Organizations and the media therefore must work effectively to promote community governance as a panacea for increasing awareness amongst stakeholders on the need to strengthen accountability in the defence sector. A social media platform will be launched to drive this process.

Signed:

Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Abuja

Comerade Jaye GaskiaExecutive Director, Praxis Centre, Abuja

Olu OmotayoState Coordinator ,Civil Rights Realization and Advancement Network, Enugu

Okanya ChinagoromCoordinator , Justice Development Peace Caritas , Enugu

DECLARATION OF ACTION AFTER A ONE DAY SOUTH EAST FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION TOWARDS STRENGTHENING ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE NIGERIA DEFENCE SECTOR ORGANIZED BY THE CIVIL SOCIETY LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CENTRE (CISLAC) WITH SUPPORT FROM GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA AND TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL HELD IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM OF BAYVIEW RESORTS & HOTELS, ENUGU, ENUGU STATE ON THE 17th DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2016

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 201618

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PREAMBLE:

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) organized a One-day Legislative and Executive Dialogue on Action for Effective Implementation of Policies on Maternal Health. The Dialogue aims at bringing Katsina State's legislators, executive and civil society arms under one roof to brainstorm on necessary action for effective implementation and oversight of the existing policies and law on maternal and child health in the state. The meeting drew 20 participants representing Katsina State House of Assembly, Ministries of Health, Education and Women Affairs, Civil Society Organizations, and the Media. After exhaustive deliberations on various thematic issues, the following observations and recommendations were made:

Observations:

1. As part of the strategy to create accessible, affordable and improved health care system, especially in the grassroots, Katsina State House of Assembly has taken a step to harmonize the State's Primary Health Care through a Bill presently receiving legislative inputs.

2. While the State's ante-natal care attendance is about 55% with only 10% delivery occurring at health care facilities by skilled birth attendants, vaccine preventable diseases remain major causes of childhood morbidity and mortality in the State.

3. Adequate budgetary allocation to the health sector in the State is impeded by the ongoing widespread dwindling revenue allocation from Federation Account to the states and low State Internally Generated Revenue.

4. The existing abuse of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in the State hampers both local and international efforts at addressing childhood malnutrition and mortality.

5. Lopsidedness in salary structure and systemic ghost workers shorten resource allocation and discourage effective performance among the State's health care providers.

6. The State in recent times has taken drastic step towards mitigating high patient-to-doctor ratio through persistent recruitment of additional health care personnel and introduction of health care education across higher institutions.

7. For the past one year, supply of essential drugs to the Primary Health Care facilities across the State has been halted.

Recommendations:

1. Availability of the State policy document on Free Maternal Health Services among health care providers and hospital administrators for greater awareness, working knowledge and effective implementation.

2. Concerted effort towards translating existing health care policies into legislation to promote accountability and sustainability in the health care system.

3. Reviewing the viability of the current free scheme to accommodate more innovative and sustainable approaches in the health care intervention, financing and management system.

4. Establishing State Task Force system to ensure appropriate supervision and management of the distribution of RUTF in the State.

5. Adequate remuneration structure and incentives for the health workers to encourage effective performance and address human resource related challenges in the health facilities.

6. Public-private partnership to drive additional financial support to enhance fund provision to the State's health sector.

7. Defining the holistic modality for the implementation of the National Health Act in the State to ensure suitability to local context.

Call to immediate action:

1. Debriefing report to the relevant stakeholders like Honourable Commissioners for Health, Education, and Women Affairs

2. Sponsoring for domestication and passage, the National Health Act by the State House of Assembly.

3. Constructive advocacy by civil society to both legislative and executive arms for the domestication and effective implementation of the National Health Act.

4. Appropriate sensitization and awareness of the pro-poor provisions as contain in the National Health Act by the media to the relevant stakeholders.

Signed:

1. Dahir AncheKatsina State House of Assembly

2. Munir MadahaKatsina State Ministry of Health

3. Hauwa Ibrahim Katsina State Television

4. Halimah OthmanKatsina State Ministry of Education

5. Armaya'u Abdulahamid Coalition of CSOs

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A ONE-DAY LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE DIALOGUE ON ACTION FOR EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES ON MATERNAL HEALTH ORGANIZED BY CIVIL SOCIETY LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CENTRE (CISLAC) WITH SUPPORT FROM THE MACARTHUR FOUNDATION, HELD AT MAKERA MOTEL, KATSINA STATE ON 10TH NOVEMBER, 2016.

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016 19

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PREAMBLE

The Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning in partnership with Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) organized a two-day Summit for State Policy Makers on Financing Nutrition in Northern Nigeria. The Summit aimed at bringing the States legislators and high level policy makers from various states under one roof to: understand the complexity and multi-sectoral nature of nutrition; identify opportunities for financing nutrition in the 2017 budget in their respective states, understand existing efforts by the States towards sustainably increasing nutrition investment including nutrition emergency in Northern Nigeria. The meeting drew over 70 leaders from State Houses of Assembly, States Ministries of Health, Budget and Economic Planning, State Executive Secretaries, Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Federal Ministry of Health, civil society groups and the media.

The Summit was attended by Members of the State Houses of Assembly such as Gombe State Chairman House Committee on Health, Hon. Bature G. Usman; Gombe State Chairman House Committee on Finance, Hon. Adamu J. Saidu; Chairman Katsina State House Committee on Health, Hon. Abubakar Mohammed; Yobe State Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Bukar Mustapha; Chairman Yobe State House Committee on Health, Hon. Ya'u Usman Dachia; Chairman Kaduna State House Committee on Health, Hon. Dr. Baal Z. Auta; Chairman Kaduna State House Committee on Appropriation and Implementation, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed; Chairman Kano State House Committee on Budget, Rt. Hon. Abdul G. Azeez; Deputy Chairman Bauchi State House Committee on Health, Hon. Sale A. Umar; Deputy Chairman Bauchi State House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdullahi S. Abdulkadir; Chairman Sokoto State House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Malami Ahmed Mohammed, Sokoto State Chairman House Committee on Health, Hon. Bature B. Muhammad.

The Summit was also attended by members of the States' Executives; Kano State Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Kabiru I. Getso; Jigawa State Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abba Z. Umar; Kebbi State Honourable Commissioner for Health, Umar Usman Kambaza; Yobe State Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Idi Barde Gubana; Yobe State Honourable Commisioner for Health, Dr. M.B. Kawuwa; Economic Adviser to the Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Murtala M. Dabo; Special Adviser to the Bauchi State Governor on Donors and NGOs, Alhaji Mansur Manu Soro; Special Adviser on Budget and Planning to the Bauchi State Governor, Mr. Bello Gidado; Special Adviser on Finance and Budget to the Adamawa State Government, Mr. Umar Bakari; Permanent Secretary, Jigawa State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Adamu Muhammad Garun Gabas; Permanent Secretary Borno State Ministry of Budget and Planning, Alhaji Mustapha T. Abba; Permanent Secretary Bauchi State Planning Commission, Mr. Yahuza Adamu; Special Adviser on Health to the Jigawa State Governor, Hon. Bello Umar; Acting Permanent Secretary, Sokoto State Ministry of Budget, Usman Arzika Bodinga.

After exhaustive deliberations on various thematic issues, the following observations and recommendations were made:

OBSERVATIONS:

1. Malnutrition impacts negatively on the socio-economic development of a

nation, and sustainable growth in Northern Nigeria cannot be achieved without prioritised attention to nutrition investment at all levels.

2. Undernutrition remains high in Northern Nigeria with about 2.2 million out of the 2.5 million severely acute malnourished children being from Northern Nigeria. Majority of children do not receive minimum acceptable diet. While 50% child mortality in the country has malnutrition as underlining cause, no fewer than 1200, out of 2600 estimated daily deaths are caused by malnutrition.

3. Delay in domestication and implementation of the existing national policy guidelines on nutrition such as the National Policy on Food and Nutrition and the National Strategic Plan of Action for Nutrition by the States, hampers efforts to addressing nutrition through a multi-sectoral approach by the relevant sectors including health, education, agriculture, water and sanitation, social protection, among others.

4. Inadequate budgetary allocation to nutrition and delay or non-release of nutrition appropriated funds by the state governments are inherent systemic challenges in complementing donors' efforts in scaling up interventions in nutrition.

5. Having visited treatment site for children with severe acute malnutrition to observe the severity of undernutrition in Northern Nigeria, we are deeply touched and worried that inadequate Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) across the States is a threat to saving lives of children with conditions of severe acute malnutrition, thus defeating the efforts in addressing childhood malnutrition and mortality.

6. Lack of legal framework on nutrition budget appropriation and oversight.

7. Food insecurity, inappropriate feeding habits, poor awareness on acceptable adequate diet, insufficient health facilities and services are contributory factors to maternal and child malnutrition across the North.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Prioritize malnutrition as a major health crisis in Northern Nigeria.

2. We commit working towards ensuring government provides funding for procurement of RUTF for CMAM continuation and scale-up in 2017 as well as encourage government to explore opportunities for local production of RUTF.

3. Consider nutrition as a multi-sectoral issue; develop and adopt multi-sectoral policies and implementable costed plans to address the high rates of malnutrition in Northern Nigeria.

4. Immediate release of funds for 2016 nutrition budget and put adequate funds in the 2017 states' budgets to scale up nutrition interventions, giving consideration to adequate fund provision to maximize and leverage donor resources for treatment of severe acute malnourished children, scale up of infant and young child feeding practices and micronutrients deficiency.

5. Development of legal framework by the State Houses of Assembly to create ownership and institutionalize dedicated nutrition budget lines.

6. Prompt domestication and effective implementation of the National Policy for Food and Nutrition with functional support system and costed Nutrition Plan of Action by the States to provide guidelines and enhance

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A TWO-DAY SUMMIT FOR STATE POLICY MAKERS ON FINANCING NUTRITION IN NORTHERN NIGERIA ORGANIZED BY THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CIVIL SOCIETY LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CENTRE (CISLAC) AND UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF) WITH SUPPORT FROM UKAID AND CHILDREN'S INVESTMENT FUND FOUNDATION OF UK HELD AT TAHIR GUEST PALACE, G.R.A KANO STATE ON 24TH AND 25TH NOVEMBER, 2016.

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 201620

COMMUNIQUE

planning for policy formulation towards maternal and child nutrition intervention and financing.

7. Encouraging appropriate and exclusive breastfeeding system through individual re-orientation, community participation and ownership, to address childhood malnutrition and combat childhood killer diseases at all levels.

8. Embracing local capacity in addressing malnutrition through diversification into agricultural sector to boost local remedies, enhanced financial support for Small-Scale farming and Small Scale Enterprises; and appropriate community mobilization, sensitization and awareness.

9. Mainstreaming well-funded nutrition components in the State Primary Health Care systems to ensure that minimum package of nutrition is institutionalized through policy transformation and service delivery.

10. Organize and arrange visits to CMAM sites for our respective colleagues (SHOA, Commissioners and Executives) to better understand the severity and complexity of the malnutrition crisis in our states.

11. Build synergy between the state legislative and executive arms on nutrition interventions

Signed:

1. Umar BakariSpecial Adviser on Finance and Budget to Adamawa State Governor

2. Adamu Muhammad Garun GabasPermanent Secretary, Jigawa State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning

3. Hon. Musa Sule DutseMember of Jigawa State House of Assembly

4. Bello Gidado Special Adviser on Budget and Planning to the Bauchi State Governor

5. Yahuza AdamuPermanent Secretary, Bauchi State Planning Commission

6. Hon. Abdullahi Sa'ad AbdulkadirDeputy Majority Leader, Bauchi State House of Assembly

Chambers reapproved the Bill by two

third majority then it becomes Act

without president assent. Therefore

the executive arm must implement it

otherwise it will be an impeachable

offence against the President.

The President after Federal

Executive Council will send the

budget to the ministry of finance for

disbursement schedule.

Budget Implementation is the

process whereby executive arm will

exercise their power o f

Implementation while legislative

arm oversight the Implementation

of executive activities through its

various standing committees so as to

stimulate the executive arm to

properly implement an Appropriation

Act for a particular year.

We have seen from the above that

Nigerian Constitution and other

fiscal laws specify that the executive

prepares and submits a budget and

that no funds may be taken from the

government ' s c o f f e r s un less

authorized by an act of the legislature

i.e. the National Assembly. Thus, the

constitutional power expressly given

to the Nigerian Legislatures is that of

consideration and approval of the

M e d i u m - T e r m E x p e n d i t u r e

Framework and the Appropriation

Bill respectively, as well as the

authorization of any spending from

the Government's coffers.

Beyond these fundamentals, the

constitution range from vague to

relatively specific regarding the role

of the legislature in budget process.

Where specific responsibilities are

assigned to the executive or withheld

from the legislature, the line is

distinct. Where there is ambiguity,

prerogatives are up for grabs and the

more assertive, determined, or

politically powerful branch can boost

its influence if conditions are right.

The primacy of the executive in preparing and presenting the budget has been generally accepted. In 1986, the Inter-Parliamentary Union wrote, “In all countries, there is an unusual measure of agreement that the government alone has the right to draw up and present the budget to the legislature for approval”.

7. Hon. Rabiu MusaMember, Katsina State House Committee on Appropriation

8. Hon. Nuhu Musa TamaMember of Bauchi State House of Assembly

9. Zayyanu SayyadiSecretary, Zamfara House Appropriation Committee

10. Abubakar WakiliDirector, Gombe State Ministry of Economic and Planning

11. Idi Barde Gubana Yobe State Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Planning

12. Alhaji Mansur Manu Soro Special Adviser to the Bauchi State Governor on Donors and NGOs,

13. Salisu U. MarajiDirector Admin & Finance, Kaduna State Ministry of Budget

14. Hon. Ahmed Mohammed Chairman, Kaduna State House Committee on Appropriation and Implementation

15. Hon. Dr. Isaac Z. AutaMember of Kaduna State House Committee on Health

16. Murtala M. DaboSpecial Adviser on Economic to the Kaduna State Governor

17. Umar Usman KambazaKebbi State Commissioner for Health

18. Hon. Bature G. Usman Chairman Gombe State House Committee on Health & Human Service

19. Mohammed M. KatangaSecretary Jigawa State House Committee on Health

20. Faruk NamalamDirector, Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency

21. Kubura Ahmad BichiDirector of Planning and Research, Kano State Planning Commission

22. Hon. Sule A.UMember of Bauchi State House Committee on Health

Continued from page 16

Understanding the Role of Legislature (2)

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016 21

REPORT

will maximally improve the living

conditions of people, especially at

the grassroots.

The conversation arose from

public outcry on a petition

submitted to the Honourable

Speaker, Kano State House of

Assembly, Rt . Hon. Kabiru

Alhassan Rurum, by a Kano based

Voice of Progressive Youth calling

for the retraction of the said law.

Also, speaking during the

session, Majority Leader of Kano

State House of Assembly, Hon.

Yusuf Atta of Fagge, cautioned that

the law should rather be amended to

eliminate outrageous benefits as

appropriate in acceptable manners

to people and the economy. He

assured that the law would be

recalled and subjected to public

h e a r i n g f o r p e o p l e s ' c r o s s

examination with a view to have a

more acceptable Pension Law in the

state.

“It is unfortunate that some

retired Governors and their

Deputies, having sacrificed their

lives to serve people, are struggling

to feed their families and cannot

afford their medical bills,” he

advised.

Commenting on the rationale

behind submission of the said

pet i t ion to the KSHA, the

representative of the Voice of

Progressive Youth, Muhammad

Hamisu Sharifai, explained that by

virtue of the provisions of Kano

Governors Pension Right Law,

2007, it would deplete the lean

treasury of the state and make

Governors and their Deputies

political landlords rather than

servants of the people, hence the

need for it to be repealed in the

interest of justice, equity, fairness,

public decency and morality.

It is grossly unjustifiable to

have such outrageous law as “Kano Governors Pension Right

Act, 2007 in view of the current

economic reality, and it is only a

despotic minded system that can

tolerate such needles and irrational

law,” the CISLAC's Kano State

Regional Program Officer, Nura

Maaji has said.

The Program Officer, who

expressed serious concern over

implementation of the Act in the

face of the current dwindling

revenue hampering effort by the

State Governments at fulfilling

their constitutional responsibilities

to the citizens, said it was only a

despotic minded system that could

tolerate such needles and irrational

“nationally motivated” law.

While reacting to the questions

during a live interview on the

famous Freedom Radio program

“Duniyar Mu a Yau” in Kano State,

l a m e n t e d t h a t , t h e m o s t

beneficiaries of the said law were

serving Senators and Members of

Federal executive council currently

serving as ministers of one ministry

or the other, regardless of their

indictment in corruption related

cases by anti-graft agencies.

Maaji recommended immediate

repealing of the law and called for

the enactment of pro-poor laws that

'Kano Governor Pension Right Act, Outrageous' – CSOs By Nura Maaji

…it was only a despotic minded system

that could tolerate such needles and

irrational nationally motivated law.

REPORT

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 201622

trengthening and strategic

r e f o c u s i n g o f A f r i c a ' s Spartnerships to respond

effectively to continental priorities

for sustainable development is a

critical priority for the African

Union.

Ensuring that Africa has the

right strategies to finance its own

development and reducing aid

dependency are centrepieces in

driving structural transformation.

Gripped with these important

questions not the least in driving its

health agenda the continent is

strengthening the coordination of

p a r t n e r s h i p s t o w a r d s

implementation of harmonised

policy frameworks.

In alignment with Agenda 2063

and the Global Agenda 2030, the

African Union revised its health

strategy and further defined a clear

strategic direction to end AIDS, TB

and Malaria as public health threats

by 2030.

The African Union meeting with

i t s s t r a t e g i c r e g i o n a l a n d

continental partners held recently

in Johannesburg mapped out key

actions and priorities for joint action

to implement the Catalytic

Framework to end AIDS, TB and

Eliminate Malaria by 2030.

”It will take great partnerships

to mobilise the resources that are

needed to strengthen human

resources for health, ensure access

to affordable and quality assured

medicines and to further strengthen

leadership, governance and

accountability. We need more

health for the money,” said

Ambassador Olawale Maiyegun,

Director for Social Affairs at the

African Union Commission while

officially launching the Africa

Partnership and Coordination

Forum.

The Forum will harmonise all

coordination efforts to support

countries by AU organs, Regional

E c o n o m i c C o m m u n i t i e s ,

development partners and non-

s t a t e a c t o r s t o w a r d s t h e

implementation of the AU Catalytic

Framework and related AU policy

frameworks.

With bold and ambitious targets,

the Catalytic Framework seeks to

eliminate malaria incidence and

mortality, prevent its transmission

and re-establishment in all

countries by 2030. It further seeks

to end the AIDS as a public health

threat by 2030 and end TB deaths

and cases by 2030.

The strategy enunciates key

policy issues, strategic priorities

and accountability mechanisms.

The strategy specifically advances a

business case for investing for

impact on AIDS, TB and Malaria

consisting of health systems

strengthening, generation and use

o f evidence for pol icy and

programme interventions and

advocacy and capacity building.

Its addresses broad ranging

issues including leadership, country

ownership , governance and

accountability, universal and

equitable access to prevention,

diagnosis, treatment, care and

support.

It further looks at issues of

access to affordable and quality

assured medicines, commodities

and technologies, health financing,

community participation and

invo lvement , r esearch and

development and innovation,

promotion of human rights and

Eradicating AIDS, TB and Malaria by 2030

REPORT

Legislative Digest Vol. 10 No. 11, November, 2016 23

he Confédération Africaine

de Football (CAF) in Tpartnership with the

United Nations Children's Fund

(UNICEF) in Cameroon, the

African Union (AU), Powerplay

and the Cameroon Football

Federation (FECAFOOT) have

jointly launched the “Together

against the marriage of young

girls” campaign with the view to

eradicate child marriages on the

continent.

After the launching of the

campaign by the Cameroonian

Government on 18 November 2016

in the sidelines of the ongoing

women AFCON hosted by the

Republic of Cameroon, the female

football champions have been used

to raise awareness and sensitize

the population on the need to stop

the ill practices of marrying girls

below the ages of 18 years and

rather invest in their education so

that they can become the leaders of

tomorrow.

A delegation representing the

various partners and stakeholders

on the end child marriage

campaign visited a renowned

primary school in Yaoundé on 28

N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 6 , t o r a i s e

awareness and engage the youth in

the fight against such social bad

practices.

AFCON 2016: Together Against The Marriage Of Young Girls

Union Commission to create a

better place for all in the

continent…the “Africa We Want”.

The representatives of the

CAF, Mr Leodegard Tenga, the

UNICEF country representative

for Cameroon, Mrs. Felicite

T c h i b i n d a t a n d t h e A U

Commission representative, Mrs.

Esther Azaa Tankou, Head of

Information Division, all partici-

pated in the various school events

organized to pass on various

messages to the youths. Notably,

the use of sports as a way to fight

child marriage and to ensure the

emancipation of young girls.

Some AFCON female champions

f r o m t h e G h a n a i a n a n d

Cameroonian teams joined the

campaign trail on “End Child

Marriage” during today's field visit

at the Ndjoungolo Primary School,

Yaounde.

As part of the campaign, a quiz

was organized for the young school

children and promotional materials

carrying slogans on the AFCON

theme: “Together against the

Marriage of the Young Girls”, were

distributed to the winner of the quiz.

The school children were also

briefed about the Africa Agenda

2063 and efforts of the African

gender equality; multi-sectoral

collaboration and coordination and

strategic information.

During the meeting, partners

working at the regional level

committed to priority actions to

support the implementation for the

Catalytic Framework. The African

Union Commission will accelerate

advocacy efforts for increased

investments in health; further

s t r e n g t h e n l e a d e r s h i p a n d

governance for the three diseases

a n d s t r e n g t h e n s t r a t e g i c

information for evidence informed

policies and programmes.

Regional intergovernmental

o r g a n i s a t i o n s w i l l s u p p o r t

information sharing among Member

States, engage leadership for the

three disease areas at the

appropriate level, advocate for

increased domestic financing for the

three diseases, support availability

of strategic information and

alignment of continental with

national level strategic plans.

Development partners through

advocacy, strategic information,

resource mobilisation and technical

support will support these African

intergovernmental processes. They

will further facilitate integrated

management of the three diseases

at national level.

Non-state actors will popularize

and support the domestication of

the Catalytic Framework, support

information sharing and support

the reporting mechanisms on the

implementation of the Catalytic

Framework.

BILLS UPDATE

BILLS UPDATE (NOVEMBER, 2016) Compiled by CISLAC

S/N BILL NO BILL NAME YEAR STAGE

1. SB 357 Trade marks Acts CAP T13 LFN (Repeal Re -enactment)

2016 First Reading

2. HB. 825 A Bill for an Act to make Provision for Freedom from Hunger and the Right to Adequate Food of Acceptable Quality, the Right of Every Child to Basic Nutrition, and for Other Related Matters.

2016 Second Reading

3.

SB 361

Credit Bureau Reporting Bill

2016

First Reading

4.

SB 261

Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Bill

2016

First Reading

5.

SB 208

Consumer Protection Council Act (Repeal &Re-enactment) Bill

First Reading

6.

4 SB 33

Tax Incentives Management & Transparency Bill

First Reading

7.

5 SB 365

Local Government (Repeal )Bill

2016

First Reading

8.

6

SB 375

TETFUND Act (Amendment) Bill

First Reading

9.

7

SB 376

Proceeds of Crimes Bill

First Reading

10.

8

SB 370

Child Rights Act 2003 (Amendment) Bill

First Reading

11.

9

SB 366

Nigerian Bank of Industry (Establishment etc )Bill

First Reading

12.

1 SB 340

Facilities Managers (Establishment etc) Bill

First Reading

13.

1 SB 334

City University of Technology Yaba Bill

First Reading

14.

1 SB 371

Social Safety Nets Service Bill

First Reading

15.

1 SB360

City University of Technology Kaduna Bill

First Reading

16.

1

SB 336

Constituency Development Fund Bill

First Reading

17.

1

SB 341

Armed Forces (Restriction on use on certain internal security operations, etc)Bill

First Reading

18.

HB 774

Nigeria Social Responsibility Agency (Establishment )Bill

2016

First Reading

19.

HB 775

Local Value Addition Bill,

2016

First Reading

20.

HB 41

A Bill for an Act to Establish the Forest Research Institute of Nigeria; and for Other Relation Matters

2016

Third Reading

21.

HB. 606

A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment of the Nigerian Gas Processing and Marketing Regulatory Board, and for Other Related Matters.

2016

Second Reading

22.

HB. 804

A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Emergency Management Agency (Establishment, etc.) Act, Cap. N34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and for Other Related Matters.

2016

Second Reading