Written By Isma’il Adamu;Edited By Godwin Duru
The Katsina State Government has held Town Hall meetings across the 361 wards in the state to get input from citizens as it prepares the state’s 2027 budget.
The meetings were attended by civil society organizations, youth and women groups, representatives of labour and trade unions, traditional rulers and professional bodies who made submissions based on the needs of their communities.
Speaking at the Town Hall meeting held at his ward in Radda village, Governor Dikko Radda said the meeting was in furtherance of his administration’s participatory approach to governance.
“We want to build a responsive and realistic budget and in so doing we must come down to the wards and listen to the people. The ward-level consultations represent a decisive shift from traditional top-down approach to budgeting.
“Sitting in government offices and assuming what the people need produces budgets that do not reflect their wishes. We have to meet them in their communities, to plan together and build together”
He assured residents that their contributions will be documented and forwarded to the state Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and the Community Development Programme for integration into the state’s 2027 budget framework.
In his speech, the state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Malik Anas, gave an assurance that input from stakeholders will be captured in the draft budget before presentation to the State House of Assembly.
Meanwhile, in their contributions, participants called for increased allocation to primary healthcare centers, construction of rural roads, support for micro and medium scale businesses, and more youth empowerment programs.
