By Kelvin Obambon
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – In a strategic move to enhance transparency and improve public infrastructure, the BudgIT Foundation, in partnership with the Network for Water Hygiene and Sanitation in Nigeria (NEWSAN), hosted a one-day intensive training on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
The session, held at the Ikapture Centre for Youth Development Hall in Calabar, focused on budget tracking, monitoring, and the adoption of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to address critical gaps in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector.
The training targeted local government officials, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including the Ministries of Women Affairs, Local Government Affairs, and Health.
Ibukunolu James, a Research and Policy Analyst with BudgIT Foundation, emphasised that the MTEF is a vital tool for fiscal responsibility over a three-to-five-year period.
“The objective is to educate local government office holders on the adoption of the MTEF,” James stated. “It enables them to prioritise expenditure against their revenues. It is about the ability to forecast how much they are making and how much they can spend to ensure expenditures that are beneficial to the people.”
She further noted that the framework is often misunderstood by the average citizen, making the training essential for fostering a more inclusive and transparent government.
Joshua Otei, the Cross River State Representative for BudgIT Foundation, highlighted the ongoing “Wash System for Health” project currently being implemented in Obubra and Yala Local Government Areas. The project, according to Otei, aims to strengthen rural systems to sustain efforts against open defecation and improve access to potable water.
“We are building a community where WASH systems are truly strengthened because there are many health issues associated with ill systems and a lack of infrastructure,” he explained.
Otei revealed concerning findings from the field, noting that many primary health centres and schools lack basic facilities. “We came across a facility in Yala that has a toilet just for men and no toilet for females. We develop reports and send them to the government so they can include these needs in their fiscal planning.”
The training also served to strengthen the capacity of NEWSAN members to advocate for better WASH policies and increased funding.
Juliet Orok, Treasurer of the Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), Cross River State chapter, expressed gratitude for the knowledge transfer, vowing to “step down” the training to the grassroots level.
“At least it has helped NEWSAN to know and track the activities of WASH in Cross River State,” she said. “WASH is for everyone; it’s not only for the government. Every citizen should be carried along.”
As BudgIT continues its mission as a civic tech organisation to simplify government expenditure, this collaboration marks a significant step toward ensuring that high-impact projects reach the most vulnerable communities in Cross River State.
