Central and West Africa: Nigerian National Assembly Strengthening:
Supporting Legislative Involvement in Poverty Reduction
"The National Assembly must step to the forefront, working with the Executive to develop long-term, comprehensive and effective strategies to reduce poverty at all levels."
—Senator Goni Bura, Chairman, Senate Committee on Poverty Alleviation
Overview
Though Nigeria is rich in both natural and human resources, roughly two-thirds of the population lives on less than US$1 per day. In 1999, the country's newly elected leaders inherited an economy left in shambles after more than 15 years of military rule. Prevalent corruption and financial mismanagement, poorly maintained infrastructure and an economy dependent on volatile oil earnings, have made it difficult to make sustained improvements in the lives of Nigeria's most vulnerable citizens. Senior-level Nigerian officials have worked for more than a year to develop an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP) as the first draft of a road-map to address the needs of Nigeria's citizens. Emerging democratic institutions in Nigeria, such as the National Assembly, are poised to play a central role in reversing the country's economic deterioration. Nigerian lawmakers are eager to acquire basic information and new skills on how to effect poverty reduction, legislate improved management practices, oversee public expenditures, and build linkages to civil society organizations that can serve as vital links between citizens and their representatives.
Legislative Review Session on Poverty Reduction Strategy
To make the process truly representative, NDI has partnered with the UNDP to help integrate lawmakers into the I-PRSP process. In April 2002, the Senate and House Poverty Alleviation Committees of the Nigerian National Assembly held a joint session to review the I-PRSP. The joint session offered the National Assembly the opportunity to evaluate the I-PRSP process to date, examine the role the Assembly should play, and develop a plan for making the process more open and participatory. The Committees participating in this session resolved to collaborate more closely with the Executive in preparing Nigeria's I-PRSP and ensure the process includes real opportunities for Members to receive input from constituents, so constituents' priorities are reflected in the I-PRSP. This initiative demonstrates the National Assembly's determination to be fully involved partners in addressing and reducing poverty throughout the country. NDI helped plan the hearings, provided technical support and briefing materials, and offered testimony at the joint session.
Linking Citizens to the PRSP Process
Members of the National Assembly are uniquely positioned, as the people's representatives, to carry out I-PRSP education and information-gathering seminars in their districts. Based on recommendations from, and as a follow-up to, the joint session, NDI will assist the Poverty Alleviation Committees in conducting hearings throughout the country on the regional priorities in confronting poverty, as well as collaborating with Nigeria's 36 State Assemblies on poverty reduction issues. These initiatives will offer constituents the opportunity to learn how poverty reduction strategies will affect them, and provide the necessary opening for citizens to explain their own poverty reduction priorities, which the Members can then carry to the national I-PRSP debate.
Funding
The poverty reduction project is funded by a grant from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Contact Information
For further information on this program, please contact:
Stephen Moody, Program Officer
smoody@ndi.org
Updated May 2002
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