Budget: Gov Aliyu vows to sustain fiscal transparency and accountability in Sokoto

Gbolahan Salman Sokoto

The governor of Sokoto State, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, accorded revealed that his administration will continue to sustain the current practice of State Fiscal Transparency and Accountability, focusing on strengthening the fiscal monitoring, accountability in the conduct of Government transparent manner Business.

The governor gave the assurance on Thursday during the 2025 budget consultation meeting organized by the state ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in conjunction with USAID State2State activity at Dankani Guest Palace, Sokoto.

Represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Balarabe Musa Kadadi, who described the meeting as good for brainstorming and exchange of ideas between and among the participants drawn from key Ministries, Departments and Agencies that are critical in Public Financial Management.

He said the consultation meeting is a very good scientific approach that will add value to the budgetary process and performance.

“Thus, guiding our future projection in line with past and current realities to avoid over Budgeting.

“As you are all aware, Sokoto State has come a long way in reforming the Budget process in line with International Public System Accounting Standard(|PSAS) as well as National Chart of Accounts (NCOA).

“The current administration accorded a special interest in effective and efficient Public Financial System and will continue to sustain the current practice of State Fiscal Transparency and Accountability which focuses on strengthening the fiscal monitoring, accountability and in the conduct of Government transparent manner

Business”.

While commending USAID State2State for it’s contribution in thw state, he assured that the government  will continue to suppot and enhance the capacity of workforce in all the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to meet the test of time for effective service delivery.

“The current Administration resolve to institutionalize a realistic, scientific and an all-inclusive Budget in the State Governance System. This was borne out of our desire to accommodate and contextualized the aspirations of different segment of the Society in the distribution of our common wealth”.

Speaking in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, ministry of budget and economic planning, Hajia Maryam Ahmed Barade, said governmental and non-Governmental is aimed at reviewing current progress and issues affecting the Budgetary Process and arrive at broad-based consensus and recommend appropriate strategies going forward into 2025 Budget process.

“I am quite confident that our deliberations and interactions today on the 2024 Budget, journey so far, progress and challenges will reflect on our thinking as we start the preparation of 2025 Budget

“Being the first Pre Budget preparation

consultation meeting in the state, the effort is intended to give more life and light to our individual MDAs, Sectors and sub sectors quest for rapid development”

Meanwhile, one of the participants, Safiya Abdulazeez, who is also a member of the Community Development Charter, for Gwadabawa local government area of the state commends the involvement of the USAID State2State in the activity.

She said with the involvement of the USAID State2State, the CDC was able to achieve up to fifty percent of it’s input in the 2024 budget, from the five local governments.

She said the progress recorded by the CDC in its pioneer five local governments which includes Wamakko, Gwadabawa, Sokoto South, Sokoto North and Tambuwal local governments respectively, added that two more local governments, Gada and Denge-Shuni local governments is being added to the CDC, to accommodate more people oriented projects at the grassroots level.

The Sokoto State team lead of the Stae2state, Abdulkadir Aminu Ladan, in his remarks describe the consultation meeting as an avenue to encourage citizens to have input in the budget preparation.

He commend the contribution of CDC in the 2024 budget which he said over fifty  and eighty percent of their demand were captured in the 2024 budget at both state and local government levels respectively.