From Esther Akaa, Lafia
The Nasarawa State government, through the state Ministry of Budget & Planning has held a town hall meeting on Citizens’ Budget Consultation for Nasarawa West Senatorial zone with a view to getting contributions and suggestions from citizens towards the preparation of the 2023 state budget.
The town hall meeting with the theme “Citizens’ Engagement: A Veritable tool for Socio Economic Development” was held on Tuesday at the Assembly Hall, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Speaking at the meeting, state Commissioner, Budget and Planning, Daniel Agyeno, said the engagement was geared towards the actualisation of the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme for Result (P4R), initiated by the World Bank to support Nigerian states to implement a Fiscal Sustainability Plan.
The commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Emmanuel Alizi, said the state since 2019 has organised four town hall meetings on Citizens’ Budget by adhering to DLI 2 of the SFTAS protocol which is anchored on “Increased openness and citizens’ engagement in the budget process.”
According to him, the process allows the people to identify, discuss and prioritise public spending, projects and to make real decisions about how funds should be utilised.
He noted that government has its own plans, programmes and projects for the people but allows participation of the people so as to engage real projects that the citizens need and not what the government assume they want.
“Today we are here in Keffi to ensure that people from Nasarawa West Senatorial Zone also contribute to government policies and programmes by adding value to the state’s plans and actions.
“You are all carefully selected from Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Nasarawa and Toto LGAs to represent various groups and interests. Your inputs here will be highly considered and appreciated.
“This is because people’s voice must be heard and incorporated into the state plans and actions. One of the foremost steps in this regard is to engage the citizenry in a meeting like this to bring in their inputs and support the government in delivering quality service down to the grass roots,” he said.
He therefore, called on participants to ensure that lingering challenges faced by the communities are discussed extensively.
Contributing on projects to be included in the 2023 budget, Convener, National Youth Alliance for Socio-Economic Development (NYASED), Mr Gaza Auta advocated for an increased budgetary allocation in the agricultural sector and the establishment of cottage industries in the zone.
Auta called for the provision of more rural roads that will enable farmers transport their farm produce from the rural areas to urban centres.
He also advocated for an upgrade of primary and secondary schools, as well as the provision of rural electrification in remote villages.
Also speaking, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), North West Senatorial zone, Rev. Dr Bulus Dakuru called for an increased allocation in health and security in the next budget.
He also called for collaboration between security agencies and community vigilante groups to help check the activities of cultists and drug abusers, especially in Karu Local Government Area of the state.
On his part, Salisu Abubakar, called on government to always release budget details through its various platforms to enable citizens track and monitor the implementation of public projects and programmes effectively.
Earlier, State Director, Budget, Peters Ataka, presented the 2022 abridged version of the Citizens’ Budget/2021 performance reports.
He, therefore, urged citizens to always track every government’s budget, in order to make it meet the developmental needs of the people.
The Voice reports that the meeting was attended by representatives of various interest groups including the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs), the media, youth associations, market women, farmers’ union, as well as associations and unions from both the formal and informal sectors.