A coalition of Kano community-based organizations CKBOs has urged the government to prioritize and earmark adequate resources for citizen-input projects across local government areas in the state.
These are part of recommendations at the end of a one-day session to track 2024 budget implementation across selected LGAs in Kano, organized by Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn, PERL.
The chairman of CKBOs Awaisu Umar Usman explained that the coalition had written a letter to the Ministry for Local Governments and Chieftancy Affairs notifying it of its plan to conduct budget tracking across fifteen local government areas.
The local government areas s are Nasarawa,Tarauni, Ungoggo, Rano, Kibiya,Garun Malam, Gaya, Garko, Gezawa, Bichi Dawakin Tofa, Kiru, Kano, Karaye Tsanyawa and Karaye.
He stressed that some of the LGAs were characterized by non-release of funds, insignificant allocation to government-prioritized projects, with inadequate allocation to citizen-input projects, and lack of uniformity in the budget template.
During the session, participants identified political instability, low internally generated revenue
in some local governments, lack of specification on generalized allocations in the LGA budgets and
lack of timely implementation of projects as some of the challenges.
Others are lack of specified locations for rehabilitation and repairs of public schools, inadequate dissemination of budget tracking findings by CBOs, as well as non-availability of quarterly performance reports of budget implementation.
The coalition advocated for timely implementation of projects as approved in the LGA budgets, and engagement on the 2025 LGA budgets to enable CBOs to effectively track citizens’ inputs captured in the LGA budgets and their implementation.
Other recommendations include creating awareness of citizens’ participation and involvement in the budget town hall, and sustainability of the payment of 10% IGR to accomplish the remaining projects earmarked in the budget to address citizens’ needs.
Earlier, the state partnership facilitator Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn PERL Malam Yunusa Hamza explained that the session was organized to develop a strategy for improved implementation of the 2024 budget.
He stressed that PERL would not relent in its efforts to support community-based organizations to follow up and track budgets to ensure good governance and accountability.
The partnership facilitator hinted that the advocacy brief developed by the participants has identified certain issues that if addressed , would improve the lives of citizens at the grassroots level.
KHADIJAH ALIYU
