INTRODUCTION

1. LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY ON MDGS: CISLAC INTERVENTION IN THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCEby AUWAL IBRAHIM MUSA (RAFSANJANI)EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CIVIL SOCIETY LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CENTRE, (CISLAC)ABUJA, NIGERIAPresented during the CPA UK Conference on the Millennium Development GoalNovember 2011

2. INTRODUCTION • The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) was formally incorporated in 2006 as a non-governmental, non-profit legislative and policy advocacy, lobbying, information sharing and research organization

3. INTRODUCTION • CISLAC works towards bridging the gap between the legislature and the electorate; by enhancing lobbying strategies; engagement of bills before their passage into law; capacity development for lawmakers, legislative aides, politicians and the civil society; civic education on the tenets of participatory democracy, human rights and good governance.

4. INTRODUCTION • CISLAC engages the legislature to ensure responsiveness and the promotion of laws that promote people oriented development through advocacy, lobbying, training and the provision of technical support, information and feedback for effective legislative performance in law making, appropriation, oversight and constituency outreach.

5. BACKGROUND TO CISLAC’S LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY ON MDGS • CISLAC’s interest in the MDGs was kindled by the prospect of development and enhanced well-being for the Nigerian people, especially the rural population and disadvantaged groups, as well as the major sources of funding being the debt relief gains, recovered loots and state resources.

6. BACKGROUND TO CISLAC’S LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY ON MDGS • Mindful of the crucial role of the National and State Legislative bodies in appropriating funds for and oversight functions on MDGs projects, CISLAC reviewed the MDG goals viz-a-viz government's implementation pace and decided to engage the legislative arm of government (National Assembly and state) to ensure that the elected representatives were sensitised on the importance of the MDG to the development of the country.

7. Summary of CISLAC Intervention • A sustained legislative advocacy and capacity building activities on the implementation of the MDGs in Nigeria was launched partly in 2006 but effectively from 2007. •  Targeted, specific and relevant legislative processes to advance the MDG Agenda. In this regard, CISLAC commenced organizing numerous MDGs awareness activities for members of the legislative at both the states and national levels

8. Summary of CISLAC Intervention • 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.

9. Summary of CISLAC Intervention • Intensified efforts in building the capacity of staff of the legislative house committees on MDGs with a view to enhancing their legislative and reporting skills to improve on the oversight role of the legislative committee members and the parliament in general.

10. Summary of CISLAC Intervention • Securing funds: CISLAC secured the support of various domestic and international development partners such as the United Nations Millennium Campaign, (UNMC) the National Democratic Institute, (NDI) the Heinrich Boll Stiftung, (HBS) and the TY Danjuma Foundation. • Some of the projects were at federal level while others targeted sub-national regimes. Most interventions have been completed, ongoing or ready for implementation.

11. CISLAC Projects on MDGs: Brief DetailsProject 1 • Activity: Training/Workshop on Reproductive Health • Rationale: Cultural orientation in Northern Nigeria • State: Kano State • Target audience: CSO and Parliamentarians • Date:  February 2006

12. Project 2 • Activity: Capacity building workshops for Committees of the National Assembly • Rationale: Increase the levels of legislative oversight, shadow monitoring of the implementation of MDG projects by the Legislature • State: FCT • Target audience: Parliamentarians • Date: April- October 2008

13. Project 3 • Activity: Entrenching legislative oversight towards achieving the MDGs • Rationale: Ensuring strategic legislation and budgetary provisions are provided towards the attainment of the MDGs at the sub-national levels • Target Audience: State Houses of Assembly • States: Kaduna, Plateau and Kano States and FCT • Dates: August – December 2008 and April – September 2009

14. Project 4 • Activity: Dialogue session with House Committee on MDGs • Rationale: To create a platform to flesh out issues of collaboration and map out strategic approaches towards exchanging ideas and sharing information on the MDGs implementation • State: FCT • Target Audience: Members of the House of Representatives and CSOs • Date: July 2009

15. Project 5 • Activity: Deepening the state legislature’s role in the attainment of the MDGs • States: Bauchi, Kano and Jigawa States • Target Audience: Parliamentarians, CSOs, CBOs, FBOs, MDAs • Rationale: to support the legislative oversight of MDG budget implementation in the target states and budget advocacy for improved MDG project implementation. • Date: May – December 2010

16. Project 6 • Activity: Legislative Engagement and Civil Society Dialogue • Rationale: Improving legislative performance relating to the MDGs in North-Central Nigeria • Date: January 2009-December 2011(ongoing) • States: Plateau, Niger, Benue, Kogi, Jigawa • Target audience: Legislature

17. Project 7 • Activity: Strengthening Policy Engagement on Education, Health and Gender towards the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria. • Rationale: strengthening legislative intervention in MDG implementation, especially improved budgetary provisions. • Date: April – December 2011(Ongoing) • State: FCT • Target audience: Parliamentarians

18. Project 8 • Activity: Compilation and publication of a comprehensive report of contribution of CSOs working on implementation of the MDGs in Nigeria • Date: September 2010 • Rationale: to inform the participants at the United Nations MDG Review Meeting on the implementation effort of MDG in Nigeria • Target audience: Participants at the UN MDG Review Meeting, New York, USA

19. Outcomes:Federal Level • Increased knowledge of MDGs issues by Committee staff, which has reflected in the committee work and oversight • Establishment of the MDGs Resource Centre in the National Assembly • Oversight visits to states implementing MDGs projects by MDGs Committee in the National Assembly • Effective collaboration between legislators, CSOs and Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs

20. Outcomes:Federal Level • Budget analysis are being carried out along MDGs lines by government and stakeholders • Drawing the attention of political parties to mainstreaming MDGs in their agenda • Raising awareness and putting MDGs issue in public domain • Influencing legislators to be more conscious and active in pushing MDGs issues in the parliament

21. Outcomes:Federal Level • CISLAC documented and circulated information on MDGs to National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly • The institution of peer review through exchange visits for parliamentarians to other countries on MDGs

22. Outcomes:State Level • Outcomes similar to those at the Federal level ware achieved at the state level. But specifically in Plateau State, Barely six months after the dialogue session with the Plateau State House of Assembly, the followings outcomes were realised:

23. Outcomes:State Level • The state established a functional MDGs office under the leadership of a Special Assistant to the Governor on MDGs • A woman was appointed as the Special Assistant to the Governor on MDGs to the Governor ( Mrs Cecilia Dapoet) • Building of clinics in some selected Local Government Areas commenced • Provision of boreholes in 66 communities also commenced under the MDG projects

24. Outcomes:State Level • Budget allocation to Education sector increased to N9.1 Billion, the second highest in the 2009 Budget • Increased fertilizer supply to farmers. Government approved the supply of 300 Trailers of fertilizer for farmers in the 2009 Budget.

25. CISLAC PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR THE NIGERIAN PARLIAMENT ON MDGs • To build and support capacity of incoming legislators, particularly members of the MDG and appropriation committee, on MDGs. • To ensure due exercise of the budgeting and monitoring and evaluation functions of the NASS regarding MDGs.

26. CISLAC PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR THE NIGERIAN PARLIAMENT ON MDGs • To advocate for vital institutional, policy and financing reforms that accelerate progress towards MDGs completion • To strengthen synergies among the relevant NASS committees and among all key MDG stakeholders.

27. CISLAC PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR THE NIGERIAN PARLIAMENT ON MDGs • To closely monitor and evaluate MDG-related interventions by legislature and the executive • To inform citizens and build capacity of CSOs and researchers on MDGs.   

28. Conclusion • The most graphic way to conclude this write up is to quote the statement of the Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Amos Gombi Goyol when contacted to find out how one of CISLAC’s session impacted on his legislative function, he replied saying:

29. Conclusion • ‘‘after the meeting on MDGs, which opened our eyes to so many challenges, my Committee decided that for us to increase food production in the state, fertilizer supply to farmers should be increased and made available. That was why the government had to increase the supply from 150 to 300 trucks this year.. We need this kind of partnership with NGOs because they provide us with information to do our work and we appreciate that”.

30. Conclusion • CISLAC considers this and similar statements as a vindication of the effectiveness of legislative advocacy on MDGs in Nigeria both at federal and sub-national levels.