Expenditures of Government aimed at Providing access to public Services such as creating jobs, and empowering young Persons if well implemented has been described as key disincentives to Preventing violent extremisim, thus leading to overall development.
Mr. Anicetus Atakpu, Resillience Programme Coordinator with ActionAid, Team Lead of the SARVE II Project for ActionAid, in Conjunction with Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development, (PIBCID) and funding from Global Community Engagement and Resilience Funds, made the disclosure at a one day Policy Dialogue with Civil Society Organizations and the Media.
Mr. Anicetus listed issues of unemployment, perceived marginalization and illiteracy as issues government must address using the annual budget, maintained that focus on Projects that are geared towards addressing infrastructure gaps, human and capital development would be useful disincentives to violent extremisim.
Making his presentation, Anicetus from a Document, Analysis of Public Spending in the Prevention of Violent Extremism in Kogi and Nasarawa State, lamented situation where funding Governance took a large chunk of the Kogi State 2021 budget with 18.06% as against 3.24% allocated to Entrepreneurship and Youth Engagement, key drivers of Violent Extremism.
The Resillience Programme Coordinator with ActionAid lamented a N100m allocation for Project for Youth Development under the Governor’s Office in Kogi State in the 2021 budget, wondered why the funding should be under the Governor’s Office and not the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
While lamenting that so much is allocated to the renovation work in the Governor and Deputy Governor’s Office in 2021, the Resillience Programme Coordinator with ActionAid, expressed worries that allocation to women and youths in 2021 is a paltry 1.32% of the total budget as against 1.79% renovation work in the offices of the Governor and his Deputy.
While urging for accountability, monitoring, the need for the budget to address socio economic ills that are the persistent cases of violent extremisim rather than placing emphasis on construction, establishment and rehabilitation of centres, called for citizens Participation in budget preparation and involvement.
Mr. Anicetus urged for budget tracking by the Media and the CSO’s in engaging Government, said the need to raise consciousness on the budget towards addressing drivers of violent extremisim such as poverty, inequality and unemployment.
While noting that funding the Agricultural Sector as well as funding the Entrepreneurship and Youth Engagement, described as unfortunate that these Sectors have the least shares of allocation in 2020 and 2021 budgets in Kogi State.
He noted that Projects targeted at Empowering youth and Women in Agriculture, as well as engaging opportunities in entrepreneurship would turn the attention of young people from engaging in acts of violent extremisim.
He called for budget for persons that are physically challenged who are also drivers of violent extremisim, disclosed that engagement by the media should go beyond the ceremonies, urged for oversight to help assist the fight against violent extremisim.
Earlier in a welcome remarks Halima Oiza Sadiq, Executive Director of Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development, (PIBCID), said the one day Dialogue aims at budget funding, tracking allocation, and spending geared towards preventing extremisim in Kogi State.
She explained that the Dialogue seeks to look at actual budgetary, allocation, and Releases can address drivers of violent extremisim, said the presentation and issues of discuss made from a document, Analysis of Public Spending in the Prevention of Violent Extremism in Kogi and Nasarawa State geared towards reducing violent extremisim.