BAN CSO forum ends with tough action points

At the end of a one day Budget Advocacy Network (BAN), Civil Society Organization (CSO) forum on Friday, members’ highlighted tough action points to ensure effective monitoring of budget related issues.
The forum which was organised by BAN attracted particpants from various civil society organizations and facilators from Ghana  as they assembled at the Council of Churches of Sierra Leone (CCSL) conference hall in Freetown.
The aim of the forum was to generate information which will make BAN work effectively.
BAN Coordinator, Patrick Zombo explained that his organization comprises of seven organizations; three international and four national, and added that BAN brings together CSO working on budget related issues to coordinate effectively and engage policy makers to ensure improved living conditions for the people.
Patrick Zombo further noted that BAN’s goal is to ensure that Sierra Leoneans benefit from pro-poor policy programmes and their purpose to strengthen CSO budget advocacy to ensure that government implements transparent, accountable, gender-sensitive and pro-poor planning and budgeting systems.
In his power point presentation, Bishop Akolgo from Institute of Social Development Centre (ISODEC) in Ghana said that CSO need to put more emphasis on the issue of transparency.
He also said that they need to have engagement strategy level for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), CSO, District Based Organizations (DBOs) and Local Councils. 
By Abibatu Kamara