Kano Citizen groups have been advised to reintegrate and track budgets to ensure the completion of abandoned projects in the state.
The permanent secretary Kano State Ministry of Planning and Budget (MoPB), Hajiya Lauratu Ado Diso made the call during a one-day validation and dissemination of the Kano State 2024 citizens budget.
According to her, citizens have a vital role to play through follow-up and budget tracking to ensure the completion of abandoned projects in schools and other relevant parts of the education sector.
Hajiya Lauratu stressed that the state government had set aside the lion’s share of its 2024 budget to the education sector, as such there was an urgent need for citizens to follow up on the issue of free and compulsory education to ensure releases and implementation.
The permanent secretary decried over lack of continuity and urged relevant stakeholders to put heads together to achieve the desired objectives.
The state team led a partnership to engage Reform and Learn (PERL), ARC Malam Auwalu Hamza charged citizen groups to utilize the opportunity and use the knowledge gained judiciously.
He emphasized the need for capacity building and assured PERL’s commitment to providing support in reform areas.
In his paper titled: Presentation on 2024 Citizens Budget: The Director Budget Kano State Ministry of Planning and Budget (MoPB), Yakubu Sabi’u pointed out that, #6.7 billion naira was set aside for gender-related projects, while #7.1 million naira was captured under citizens nominated projects.
The PERL knowledge management communications and reform facilitator, Habiba Isyaku Njidda identified components of the citizen’s engagement, the representative of the citizen groups Dr Abdulsalam Kani presented a paper tagged key considerations for sustaining the collation of citizens’ inputs to the budget.
Radio Nigeria reports that the one-day validation of the Kano state 2024 budget was organized by MoPB in collaboration with PERL FCDO.
KHADIJAH ALIYU