Abuja: The Executive Chairman of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), Mr. Victor Muruako, has reiterated the commission’s dedication to transparency and accountability in financial management. Muruako made this assertion while welcoming a delegation from the Socio-Economic Research and Development Centre (SERDEC) in Abuja, emphasizing the importance of fiscal openness and responsible public financial management.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the visit led by SERDEC representatives is part of ongoing advocacy efforts under the Open Government Partnership (OGP). Muruako highlighted the significance of the advocacy in strengthening engagements with institutions to promote fiscal openness and responsible financial management. He expressed the commission’s readiness to collaborate with SERDEC and other relevant organizations, noting its active role in anti-corruption efforts as part of the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reform (TUGAR).
Muruako also commended President Bola Tinubu’s fiscal reforms and expressed support for the push toward Local Government Autonomy. He stressed the need for training local government officials in budgeting and fiscal responsibility to ensure effective implementation. Despite the broad mandate of the FRC, Muruako pointed out financial constraints in fulfilling its responsibilities and mentioned ongoing efforts to amend the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, to enhance revenue generation into the Consolidated Revenue Fund. He assured SERDEC of the commission’s openness to partnership, stating, “Our collaboration machinery is ready and waiting. We look forward to working together to achieve our shared vision of open and accountable governance.”
Earlier, Mr. Tijani Abdulkareem, Executive Director of SERDEC, stated that the purpose of the visit was to explore alignment between the FRC’s mandate and OGP commitments. He proposed collaboration on fiscal transparency initiatives and presented strategic recommendations to enhance the commission’s public engagement and digital innovation. Abdulkareem acknowledged the pivotal role of the FRC in enforcing fiscal discipline, monitoring public expenditure, and ensuring budget compliance, which directly supports the goals of the OGP in promoting transparency, anti-corruption, and citizen participation. He concluded by advocating for increased public access to the FRC’s reports and fiscal data in simplified formats.