MINUTES OF 2020 AKWA IBOM CITIZENS BUDGET STAKEHOLDERS

MEETING HELD ON 16TH JANUARY, 2020 AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM

OF THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND IBOM DEEP
SEAPORT.

1.0 ATTENDANCE:
a) Mr. Akan Okon, Hon. Commissioner, MED & IDS - Chairman
b) Mr. Effiong Ekpenyong, PS, MED &IDS – Member
c) Mr. Peter Akpan, Director Statistics, MED & IDS - Member
d) Mr. Xavier Essien, HOD,Debt Management, MoF - Member
e) Mr. Ottobong Sambo, HOD, Programe Monitoring - Member
f) Mr. Victor Edet, HOD (PRS), MoF - Member
g) Mrs. Nseobong Affiah, Office of the AG - Member
h) Dr. (Mrs.) Uduak Asian Ekong, HOD, Int’l Cooperation - Member
i) Mr. Ekwere Eshiet, HOD, Capital Budget, State Budget Office -Member
j) Mr. Edikan Okopide, Auditor1, Office of State Auditor Gen - Member
k) Dr. Harry Udoh, Exc. Dir, Support Trg. Entrepreneurial Prog. Member
l) Dr. (Mrs.) Nsekpong Udoh, Exc. Dir, CPD - Member
m) Mr. Kingsley Atang, Prog. Leader, Youth Alive Foundation - Member
n) Mrs. Enobong Okpongkpong, State Director of Planning - Secretary

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2.0 OPENING
The meeting commenced at 12:25pm with an opening prayer by Mr. Mr. Ottobong
Ottobong Sambo, the Director of Program Monitoring. Sambo,
3.0 INTRODUCTION:
Introduction of members of the Committee was done, since some Information
new members had joined the committee. Officer
4.0 CHAIRMAN’S OPENING REMARKS
The Chairman, Hon. Commissioner for Economic Development and Ibom Hon. Comm.
Deep Seaport, Mr. Akan Okon, welcomed all to the first meeting of the
committee in 2020. He appreciated all for the effort put in place to
ensure that the State Budget was passed in time and urged them to do
same for the Citizens’ Budget. He also stressed that the reason behind
the preparation of the Citizens’ Budget is to break down the State
Budget into a document that is not too technical for the citizens to
understand. He formally welcomed all and declared the meeting opened
for fruitful deliberations.

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5.0 READING/ADOPTION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES:

After the reading of minutes of the previous meeting, Mr Peter Akpan, Secretary
moved a motion for adoption of the minutes, which was seconded by
Dr. (Mrs.) Nsekpong Udoh. The chairman observed that the minutes
should be paged and should include a column to indicate the
responsible party for any activity.
6.0 MATTERS ARISING
There were no matters arising from the previous minutes as all the
activities had been carried out.
7.0 NEW MATTERS
7.1 Outcome of IVA visit in December, 2019: The Secretary reported that a Secretary
team from the Independent Verifying Agency (IVA) had conducted an
Annual Performance Assessment for the 2019 State Budget. The
findings, as concerning the Citizens’ Budget were as follows:
1. On whether the state conducted at least one “town-hall” consultation
before the proposed budget is drafted with participation of local
government authorities and state-based CSOs, it was reported that
since the Ministry had not as at then began holding the consultative
meetings, we had to rely on the communique issued at the end of the
Public Presentation by the AKHA held on 6th December 2019. This was
not published online on the State official website and did not indicate
the presence of CSOs, even though they were there and participated
actively. Also, the attendance sheet could not be provided.
2. However, the Secretary had been able to provide evidence of the
consultative meeting for the 2020 Budget, the minutes of the meeting
as well as the attendance sheet. These had been posted on the Ministry
of Finance website, along with the inputs sent in by the CSOs before the
end of 2019, as required.
7.2 Preparation of 2020 Citizen’s Budget: A copy of the 2019 Citizens’ Technical
Budget from another State as well as the template of the Citizens’ Committee
Budget was shared with members, to show the level of work needed to
be done. The Chairman set up a Technical Committee comprising of the
Secretary, Mrs. Okpongkpong, Mr. Eshiet from the State Budget Office
and Mrs. Affiah from the AG’s Office and directed them to populate the
template and present to the House at the next meeting. Once it is
approved by the House, they will be given further directives to ensure
that the 2020 Citizens’ Budget is posted online before the deadline of
31st January, 2020.

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8.0 ANY OTHER BUSINESS

8.1 Youth Bill: Mr. Kinsley Attang, representing Youth Alive Foundation, Mr. Attang
pointed out that during the last meeting, he had been asked to give the
Hon. Commissioner a copy of the proposed Akwa Ibom State Youth Bill.
He stated that he had sent it and wished to know of there had been any
follow-up on the issue. On investigation, it was discovered that the bill
had been misdirected and he was advised to send another copy to the
Chairman.
8.2 2020 Budget posted online: Mr. Victor Edet, Head, PRS, Ministry of All
Finance, informed the house that the approved 2020 budget of Akwa
Ibom State as well as the breakdown had been posted online on the
State Budget Office website.
8.3 Participation in Open Government Partnership: Dr. Harry
Udoh, Chairman
Chairman of the CSO Forum, applauded the State for the privilege given
to the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to participate in the budgeting
process. He stressed the importance of being given enough time to
contribute during the Public Presentation at the AKHA and appealed to
the Chairman to facilitate the sign-on of the State Government into the
Open Government Partnership (OGP) in order to benefit thereof. The
Chairman noted that a memo on the OGP memo had been presented to
the State EXCO last year and promised to inquire about the status of the
memo.
9.0 NEXT STEPS:
Preparation of 2020 Citizens’ Budget Tech. Comm.
Submission of Youth Bill to Chairman Mr. Attang
Pursuance of OGP memo Chairman
Attendance at next meeting on Wednesday 22nd January, 2020 All
10.0 CLOSING:
10.1 Chairman’s Closing Remarks: The Hon. Commissioner and Chairman of Chairman
the Committee expressed his appreciation to members for taking time
out from their very busy schedules to attend the meeting and provide
useful contributions. This, he said, was a sign of the passion they have
towards the progress of the State. He enjoined the Technical Committee
to ensure that they complete their assignment on schedule.
10.2 Closing Prayers: Closing prayers was said by Dr. Harry Udoh and the Dr. Harry
meeting came to a close by 1:58pm. Udoh

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Mrs. Enobong Okpongkpong Dr. Harry Udoh
Secretary Chairman, AKS CSOs’ Forum