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• Major or Current Achievements *: ROAD TO THE REALISATION OF THE MDGs I. Constructive CSO Partnership with Parliamentarians on MDGs Aware of the crucial role of the National and State Legislative bodies in appropriation funds/DRG and their active oversight functions on MDGs projects, the CSOs in Nigeria, led by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Abuja, resolved in 2007 to launch a sustained legislative advocacy and capacity building activities on the implementation of the MDGs in Nigeria. CISLAC targets specific and relevant legislative processes to advance the agenda of the MDGs within such processes. In this regard, CISLAC has organized numerous MDGs awareness activities for members of the legislative at both the states and national levels. Such activities include regular advocacy visits, roundtable dialogue and information sharing on how best to formulate effective decisions and enact laws that would enhance the achievement of the MDGs, promote equity and address poverty in Nigeria. CISLAC has also intensified efforts in building the capacity of staff of the legislature house committees on MDGs and national planning matters with a view to enhancing their legislative reporting skills and improve on the oversight role of the legislative committee members. The above constructive engagement efforts have resulted in the following: - • In the discharge of its oversight functions, the House of Representatives committee on MDGs has institutionalized a regular interface between the committee, the implementing agencies and the National Monitoring and Evaluation Team (NMET). This periodic MDG public hearing has served as an effective monitoring and evaluation tool for the legislators and other stakeholders. The latest of such interface was the 3-day public hearing organized in July 2010 by the House MDG Committee to assess the level of implementation of MDGs in Nigeria between 2007-2010. The hearing revealed that the MDGs project has gulped N1.04 trillion naira since 2006; and that Nigeria has not only shown the needed commitment but initiated actions and measures to realize the objectives of the MDGs by the target year 2015. • Enhanced informed debates by parliamentarians on the MDGs resulting into increased budgetary allocations to critical MDG sectors: - education, health, poverty reduction, agriculture, energy etc. • Establishment and commissioning of the MDGs Resource Centre on 27th July 2009 within the National Legislative Assembly, Abuja by the Speaker of the House of Representatives on behalf of the House Committee on MDGs, CSOs and Planned Parenthood Federation International (PPFI) that supported its establishment. The Centre aims at: collating resource materials in both print and electronic forms on MDGs; sharing information and deepening our mutual understanding as well as updating legislators on MDGs implementation progress. The centre is the first of its kind in any parliament in Africa. • Formation of legislative caucuses on MDGs at the national and State Legislative Assemblies. • Enhanced legislative committee staff reporting skills on MDGs. • Establishment in 2010 of African Parliamentarians Forum on MDGs arising from CISLAC’s 2009 collaboration with the Millennium Campaign that scaled up closer collaboration with the House of Representatives Committee on MDGs that hosted the regional consultative meeting in Abuja. The Forum aimed at sustaining campaign among African Parliamentarians on the MDGs. CISLAC has also embarked upon capacity building efforts for NGOs, CBOs, FBOs and media on budget tracking of MDGs allocations. II. CSOs in Giving Voice to the Poor, Service delivery and accountability of development activities MDGs implementation capacity of CSOs in Nigeria can be seen in the following instances: - • Promoting Public consensus and local ownership for reforms and for national poverty reduction and development strategies by creating knowledge-sharing networks, building common ground for understanding, encouraging public-private cooperation, and sometimes even diffusing tensions; • Giving voice to the concerns of primary and secondary stakeholders, particularly poor and marginalized populations, and help ensure that their views are factored into policy and programme decisions; • Strengthening and leveraging impact of development programs by providing local knowledge, identifying potential risks, targeting assistance, and expanding reach, particularly at the community level; • Bringing innovative ideas and solutions to development challenges at both the local and national levels; • Providing professional expertise and increasing capacity for effective service delivery especially in environments with weak public sector capacity; and • Improving public transparency and accountability of development activities, and thus contributing to the enabling environment for good governance. ROAD TO THE ENACTMENT OF THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY LAW In ensuring the passage of the fiscal responsibility bill CISLAC actively engage Legislators, the fellow CSOs and key stakeholders in constructive dialogues on the need for a fiscal responsibility regime in Nigeria. Some of the activities are as follows: A. On April 2nd 2006 CISLAC organised a stakeholder’s forum at the Reiz Continental Hotel, Abuja on the fiscal responsibility bill, which was presented to the Federal Government at a two-day meeting planned by it between April 13 – 14, 2006 on the matter. The agenda of this CISLAC organised stakeholders forum was to mobilise popular support and participation in the debate to enhance the passage of the fiscal responsibility bill in order to bring about fiscal discipline. B. Between the 15th to 17th of May 2006, CISLAC organised a Media roundtable on the Fiscal Responsibility Bill, this roundtable was to impress on the media the need to keep issues related to the Fiscal Responsibility bill on the front burner through continuous publicity and enlightenment. This event took place at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Lagos State C. CISLAC organised a Civil Society – Legislature dialogue on the Fiscal Responsibility Bill from the 2nd – 4th June 2006 at the Command Guest House, Kaduna. There were presentations and contributions from participants. At least 75 people attended this parley. ROAD TO NEITI LAW: In order to come up with a Civil Society position on the NEITI Bill: A. CISLAC organised a Civil Society strategic Session on the NEITI bill at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on the 29th of June 2006 with 72 Civil Society, media and women, Non-Governmental Organisations. The recommendations of this dialogue were forwarded to the National Assembly for necessary action B. On the 30th of June 2006 CISLAC organised a Civil Society/Legislature interactive session on the NEITI bill held at the Protea Hotel, Rivers State. Senators and Members of the House of Representatives in attendance conveyed the recommendations of this meeting to the two chambers of the National Assembly. C. CISLAC in cooperation with the NEITI Secretariat organised a two-day parley between civil society and mining stakeholders on solid minerals at the Lamonde and Crest Hotels all in Jos, Plateau State with over eighty participants in attendance. Eleven papers were presented between July 23rd to July 26th 2006. ROAD TO THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT LAW CISLAC participated in the several processes that led to the passage of the public procurement bill. This involves public hearings, lobbying of relevant committee members, provision of technical support to relevant committees as well as training. LOBBYING AND ADVOCACY VISITS • CISLAC has successfully lobbied key members of the National Assembly in order to wield their influence in ensuring that civil society positions are accommodated. In 2006, for instance, CISLAC targeted key players and created public awareness on draft legislation and questionable provisions incorporated by the National Assembly. Such efforts improved the levels of discipline, transparency, and accountability in the management and openness of fiscal responsibility, public procurement, and the nation’s extractive Industry sector in Nigeria. • Through such efforts, CISLAC has empowered communities mostly affected by the extractive industry sector, improved the levels of information dissemination, and ensured due process and transparency in the payments made by extractive industry companies to the Federal Government and its agencies. • CISLAC has also educated State and Federal legislators, their advisory staff, CSOs, the media, and key stakeholders on their oversight roles in legislation and has reviewed their commitment in implementation. • CISLAC has organized dialogue sessions in the National Assembly, Plateau and Kaduna States for House Committees urging leadership to take appropriate steps (i.e. adopting legal/policy frameworks) to meet the MDGs by 2015. Due to success of the program, CISLAC’s interaction with state legislatures on MDG action is ongoing. In partnering with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), CISLAC has also enhanced oversight of MDG support staff and NASS National Planning Committees through shadow monitoring, statistical informational gathering, advocacy visits, and capacity building for legislative members on MDGs. • With support from the Oxfam Novib, CISLAC has paid advocacy visits to the government officials and CSOs in Nigeria and some West African countries on the implementation of the Extractive law that operates in their localities and the country at large. PASSAGE OF TARGET LEGISLATION • In the second year of operation, CISLAC began the implementation of a project titled, “Strengthening Civil Society Intervention in the Legislative Process” supported by PACT Nigeria through a USAID ADVANCE grant. This project worked to ensure the passage of target legislation – Nigeria Extractive industries Transparency Initiatives (NEITI) Bill, Fiscal Responsibility Bill, Freedom of Information Bill and Public Procurement Bill – which were passed and assented in 2007 and FOI in 2011 respectively. The project, which started in October 2006, enabled CISLAC and its CSO partners to actively engage with legislators, CSOs, the media, and other key stakeholders on the urgency for reform. • With support from Oxfam Novib, CISLAC has undertaken experience sharing and learning lessons to some countries in Africa. This is to share experience on success stories in EITI engagement and legislative intervention in the sector, as well as challenges in engaging government and mobilizing citizens. The countries visited include: Sierra Leone, Ghana, Niger, Liberia and Cameroun • CISLAC with support from PACT Nigeria and working closely with the NEITI secretariat also facilitated an induction programme for newly elected legislators at the federal level after the 2011 elections. This is to ensure that the federal lawmakers, about 70% of who are new in selected committees responsible for oversight of the NEITI process to understand the industry and sector so as to effectively intervene over the next four years. The induction programme was held in Calabar in May 2012. PUBLICATION OF A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER • CISLAC has strengthened civil society intervention by the publication of a monthly newsletter Legislative Digest which has been in circulation for both public and legislative consumption since October 2006. It has been a central medium of accountability, as it monitors the performance of Legislators, and a channel for advocacy on critical issues that need legislation.
• Functional Board *:
• Number of Board Members *: 6
• List Expertise of Board Members *: POLITICAL SCIENTIST, ENGINEERING, JOURNALISM, LEGAL PRACTITIONER,
• Organisational Strategic Plan *:
• Head of Organisation *: AUWAL IBRAHIM MUSA
• Name of Contact Person *: AUWAL IBRAHIM MUSA
• Position of Contact Person *: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
• Number of Staff *: 21
• Number of Males *: 14
• Number of Females *: 7

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