Financial Management: Efficient Oversight of Defence Sector Remains Sacrosanct – Experts
Poor welfare, inadequate training, greed, inexperience, corruption, power-drunk, indiscipline, substance abuse, poor monitoring, and poor recruitment process are contributory challenges to operational efficiency and financial management in the Defence and Security sector.
They said this at a two-day Defence and Security (financial management, gender and operational disparities) anti-corruption training for civil society in Kano State.
The training, organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in collaboration with the Transparency International-Defence and Security Program with support from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands was aimed at strengthening the capacity of Civil Society to advocate and conduct state and national engagements towards an accountable, responsive, and efficient management of the Nigeria Defence and Security sector.
The experts observed that efficient oversight of the Defence and Security sector remains sacrosanct to ensure transparency, prevent fraud and abuse, and promote efficiency.
“External oversight helps in interrogating misconduct, indiscipline, misappropriation, mismanagement, and corruption, while ensuring standards, professionalism, quality assurance to sustain principle of Civil-Military Relations in the Sector.
“Over-classification of line items in the Sector budget and procurement information hampers efficient external oversight of the sector at all levels.
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“External oversight responsibilities of the Sector constitute the fundamental mandate of the executive, relevant Legislative Committees, and Civic Actors.
“Effectiveness of external oversight of the Defence and Security sector is hampered by complexity of procurement process, political interference, limited resources and expertise, supply chain vulnerability.
“Therefore, Strengthening the technical capacity for external bodies such as the National Assembly and Civil Society to enhance oversight efficiency of the Defence and Security sector should be prioritised.
“There is need for immediate amendment and harmonization of the relevant provisions in Freedom of Information Act including Section 11(1) and Official Secret Act, to remove contradictory provisions hampering civilian oversight of the Defence and Security sector, while enhancing transparency and accountability in procurement process.
“Also vital is strengthening the existing legal provisions backed by political will to complement reform process and oversight activities in the sector.
“Equally, Implementing a comprehensive external oversight framework, giving consideration to some key strategic procurement mechanisms in the Defence and Security sector like creation of interdependent bodies, comprehensive regulatory framework, risk-based auditing, regular audit and review, data analytics and technology, whistle-blower protection, training and retraining programmes.
“Lastly and most importantly, strengthening the technical capacity for external bodies such as the National Assembly and Civil Society to enhance oversight efficiency of the Defence and Security sector.” they said.
