The summary of the report from the “Budget is your Right” project sparked a heated debate in the Nineveh provincial council, providing an opportunity to unite officials in the council with various sections of the province.
An open discussion took place on December 30, 2024 in a hall of the Nineveh provincial council regarding the summary of the political report of the "Budget is your Right" project. The discussion was attended by numerous officials, council members, civil society activists, and journalists.
Among the participants were Mohammed Abdullah al-Jiburi, Deputy Speaker of the Council, Muhannad Najim al-Jiburi, Chairman of the Nineveh Muahada Faction, Saadoun Shamari, Chairman of the Legal Committee, Mohammed Kakeyi, Chairman of the Security Committee, and Ma'az Haji Abbas, member of the integrity committee, and Abdul-Karim al-Jarba, Head of Tahrir Association for Development
Ahmad Bala, the representative of the Budget is your Right project in Nineveh, moderated the discussion and presented a summary of the report on monitoring and following up on budget issues in all four provinces of Nineveh, Kirkuk, Diyala, and Salahaddin.
Mohammed Jabbari, Deputy Speaker of the Nineveh Council, spoke about citizen participation in decision-making, budget preparation, and the importance of transparency. He emphasized the need to strengthen coordination between the council, local government, civil society organizations, and journalists.
In addition to detailing the monitoring and follow-up process of the council, the report identified problems and challenges faced by the provincial council and the budget process through ten findings. It also provided recommendations as solutions.
The findings include the consequences of the struggle to form local governments and the distribution of posts on the duties of the council, with the risk of lack of justice in the distribution of budgets and projects, ignoring citizens' opinions Another point.
Muhannad Najim al-Jiburi, leader of the Nineveh Muahada faction, highlighted the importance of transparency and citizen participation in budget preparation. He stressed the role of citizens in setting priorities and monitoring budget implementation.
The recommendations from the report underscored the need for the provincial council to focus on citizens' current needs, distribute the budget fairly, enhance transparency, avoid party conflicts, involve citizens in decision-making, and provide access to information about service projects.
Hussein Haza’, a civil society activist, mentioned that the discussion provided insight into laws, council procedures, and assessing regional needs in determining budget allocations.
The report's summary was based on field observations, surveys in all four provinces, legal framework assessments, eight focus groups, and over 15 interviews with council members, local authorities, and various sectors of society.
Ajil Khalid, representing the disabled, raised questions during the meeting about budget distribution and projects in different areas of the province. He also took the opportunity to request a park for the disabled, which was approved by the Speaker of the House.
The draft summary of the report was circulated among parliamentarians, provincial council members, academics, civil society activists, and journalists for feedback before the final version.
"Budget is your right" is a significant project by the KirkukNow Media Outlet and Wadi, a German-Iraqi NGO, funded the National Democracy Institute - NDI - Iraq, aims to monitor the roles of provincial councils in Kirkuk, Nineveh, Diyala, and Salahaddin, promoting transparency in budget matters and fostering dialogue and understanding among the people, officials, civil society, and the media.
*This story has been produced as part of the 'Budget is Your Right' initiative, with support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
