Stakeholders call for effective oversight to checkmate misconduct in defence and security sectors
By Olu Benjamin
Keffi. November 17, 2023. Stakeholders in the Defence and Security Sectors have advocated for effective oversight to checkmate misconduct, indiscipline, mismanagement and misappropriation, while maintaining operational standards and professionalism in the sector.
This is contained in a communique signed by the stakeholders at the end of a one day capacity building workshop held in Keffi local government area of Nasarawa state on Friday and made available to newsmen.
Our reporter reports that the one day workshop organized by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in collaboration with Transparency International in Nigeria (TI-Nigeria) is for relevant agencies on Anti-Corruption reforms in Nigeria’s defence and security sector.
The Workshop had in attendance participants from relevant committees in the National Assembly, Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), Media Practitioners and Civil Society.
According to the communique, despite the existence of several independent oversight agencies with specific mandates to checkmate activities of the sector, their operational efficiency and effectiveness are hampered by the insufficient resource allocation, superiority struggles, unattended overlapping functions and inter-agency rivalry.
The communique then called for the revisiting of corruption-susceptible areas of the Defence and Security sectors such as procurement, operations, political interference, financial and personnel activities for targeted effective oversight to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency of the sectors.
It called for the integration of modern technology in the Defence and Security procurement process, financial system and personnel management to mitigate reported abuse, corruption and mismanagement in the sectors.
“Adequate financial and human resources as well as capacity building for personnel across the oversight agencies on the Defence and Security architecture, financial system and operations to enhance their technical efficiency for effective oversight of the sectors is important,” the communique added.
The communique also advocated enhanced oversight activities by Civil Society and the media to ensure independent demand for transparency and accountability in the Defence and Security systems, operations and activities.
In his welcome address, Mr Auwal Ibrahim- Musa, Executive Director, CISLAC represented by an officer of CISLAC, Mr Jimoh Abubakar, explained that the workshop aimed at highlighting various anti-corruption reforms in the Defence and Security sector, while proffering holistic recommendations for improved oversight activities.
Our reporter reports that the session had some technical sessions with papers titled “An Appraisal of Relevant Oversight Agencies and Anti-Corruption in Nigeria’s Defence and Security Sector” by Dr. Sunday Adejoh; and “Anti-Corruption Reform in Nigeria’s Defence and Security Sectors: Issues, Challenges and Prospects” by Prof. Wapmuk Sharkdam presented.
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