By Festus Ahon
ASABA-CIVIL Society Organisations, CSOs, Thursday told Nigerian Government, particularly the Delta State Government to adopt the new International Public Sector Accounting Standard, IPSAS in the budgetary system to ensure active participation of the people in its budgetary process.

Participants in a communique issued at the end of a 2-day Media Relations and Advocacy training by Global Peace Development with the support of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP in collaboration with the Delta State Government, said if adopted the new budgetary system would encourage citizens participation in governance.

In the communique signed by Mrs Uche Onwumah and six others, the participants also urged the Government to fully comply with the Freedom of Information, FOI Act to facilitate public expenditure tracking.

They said: “There is need for the Delta State Government to fully adopt the new International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) in the budgetary system to ensure active participation of the people in the budgetary process.

“There is need to encourage the people to volunteer information on projects and public services in their environment to the Public Expenditure Tracking System (PETS) portal to enable Information Action Centers (IACs) managers effectively track and monitor public expenditure.

“The Delta State Government should implement the Public Procurement Commission Law as a major input in facilitating public accountability and budgetary process”.

They enjoined Civil Society Organizations to consistently create awareness in communities to increase their understanding of public accountability and budgetary process.

“The Government should involve community leaders in the development of the yearly budget. Civil Society Organizations should as a matter of urgency train community leaders in the budgetary process”, the people in the communique added.