From: Murtala Muhammad
The USAID Nigeria-funded State Accountability, Transparency, and Effectiveness (State2State) Activity, in collaboration with the Gombe State House of Assembly, has commenced a two-day review of the state's social sector budget performance for 2024.
The event, which is being held at Sulgard Hotel in Bauchi, specifically focused on enhancing budgetary oversight roles of the Assembly's committees members on Primary Health Care, Education and Water Sanitation and Hygiene WASH with a view to improving service delivery in the three sectors.
The workshop according to the State Team Lead, State2State Activity, Gombe Field Office, Muhammad Bello Abubakar aims to strengthen the oversight role of the Assembly's committee members in the budget process, particularly in healthcare, education and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sectors.
The workshop also seeks to improve fiscal accountability, integrating Gender and Social Inclusion into the budget process, and fostering women’s civic participation in governance.
In an Address, the Chief of Party, USAID Nigeria State2State Activity, Mrs Irene Karimi represented by the Director, Citizens Engagement and Capacity Building, Ahmed Mohammed appreciated the State House of Assembly for the collaboration which brought about the actualisation of the workshop despite its tight schedules.
In his keynote address, Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Abubakar Mohammed Luggerewo, said the workshop was apt in view of the priority attached to budget as it was second most important document to the construction.
Abubakar Luggerewo who emphasized the importance of active participation, urged attendees to contribute meaningfully to the discussions, highlighting the workshop's potential to benefit the people of Gombe State.
The first three quarters of 2024 budget performance of the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the three thematic areas of Primary Health Care, Basic Education and WASH, were reviewed and scrutinized.
Our Correspondent reports that the participants at the end of the workshop, would develop a workplan for quarterly 2025 budget discussions and defense between the Assembly and MDAs to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency.
The workshop brought together Permanent Secretaries, representatives of Civil Society Organizations, and representative of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), ensuring diverse perspectives in the review process.
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