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The Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) has urged members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Gwagwalada Branch—popularly known as the Eagle Bar—to play a proactive role in promoting transparency, accountability, and fiscal discipline by ensuring the effective enforcement of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007.
This call was made during a one-day sensitization session jointly organized by the Commission and the NBA Gwagwalada Branch to deepen the understanding of the Act among legal practitioners and highlight their vital role in ensuring fiscal responsibility across all tiers of government.
The Street Reporters Newspaper reports that delivering a lecture titled “Enforcing the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007: The Critical Role of Lawyers,” the Director of Legal, Investigation and Enforcement at the FRC, and former Secretary of the NBA Bauchi Branch, Charles Chukwuemeka Abana, Esq., emphasized that lawyers bear both constitutional and moral responsibilities to ensure that government officials comply strictly with fiscal laws.
According to Abana, the Fiscal Responsibility Act was enacted to instill discipline in public finance management and to ensure that Nigeria’s resources are used efficiently for the collective benefit of its citizens. He noted that lawyers, as custodians of the law, are uniquely positioned to interpret, apply, and enforce the provisions of the Act to achieve good governance.
Citing Section 51 of the FRA 2007, Abana reminded participants that the law empowers citizens and organizations—including lawyers and civil society groups—to initiate legal proceedings where there are breaches of the Act. He encouraged legal practitioners to take advantage of this provision to hold public officials accountable for financial misconduct and abuse of public trust.
“The Fiscal Responsibility Act is a vital tool for promoting good governance,” Abana stated. “Lawyers must see it as part of their professional duty to ensure compliance with this law. By invoking Section 51 where necessary, we can make public officers more accountable and strengthen fiscal discipline in the country.”
Abana further urged the Nigerian Bar Association to establish advocacy initiatives that would complement the Commission’s efforts and support necessary legislative amendments to strengthen the Act. He also called on civil society organizations (CSOs) to collaborate with the FRC in demanding transparency and accountability in the management of public resources, without bias or favoritism.
While conveying the goodwill message of the Executive Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Barr. Victor Muruako, Abana informed participants that the Chairman, who is currently attending the International Bar Association (IBA) Conference in Canada, extended his warm regards and reaffirmed his strong support for the enlightenment initiative.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of NBA Gwagwalada Branch, Clever Owhor, Esq., expressed appreciation to the FRC for selecting the branch for the sensitization program, describing it as both timely and intellectually enriching. He observed that the session would broaden members’ understanding of public finance laws and open avenues for meaningful collaboration with the Commission, especially in legal interpretation and litigation.
“This lecture provides a rare opportunity for our members to understand how the Fiscal Responsibility Act operates and how we, as lawyers, can assist in ensuring compliance,” Owhor said. “We must see ourselves as partners in strengthening the rule of law and fiscal discipline.”
The engagement also featured an interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants expressed gratitude to the FRC for the enlightenment effort and called for similar sensitization programs across other NBA branches nationwide.
The Fiscal Responsibility Commission, in recent months, has intensified its advocacy and public education campaigns among professional bodies, academia, and civil society organizations as part of a nationwide effort to promote the effective enforcement of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007—an essential framework for ensuring transparency, accountability, and good governance in Nigeria’s public financial management.
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