The two-day high-level meeting between members of Zamfara State House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, officials of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Office of the Attorney General of the state and members of the Civil Society Organizations has come to an end in Kaduna with a commitment to strengthening partnership in improving 2022 Appropriation Bill.
The meeting which took place at Bafra Hotel Kaduna covers technical discussions on the state budget processes, the new national chat of account in preparing capital and recurrent budgets, use of the State Medium Term Expenditure Frame Work (MTEF) as well as review of the state budget calendars.
Deputy Speaker of Zamfara State House of Assembly Musa Bawa Yankuzo, Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning Zamfara State Rabiu Garba, State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Barr. Junaidu Aminu attended the event, while Finance Commissioner Sufiyanu Bashir Yuguda was represented by the state Accountant ant General.
The meeting featured deliberations on gray areas related to state budgetary processes especially non release to capital votes, the need to reduce the size of the state budget considering the economic reality on the ground as well as the growing concern on the rampant purchase of vehicles by the state government.
Other issues raised including justification for appointments of consultants by the state government agencies, lack of regular training of state government workers and crises associated with the way finance officers are operating in managing state finances.
The meeting ended with a commitment to follow up in the setting up of a MTEF and budget performance review committee aimed at conducting quarterly review meeting on budget performance, review of the state consolidated revenue law, organized state town hall meeting on 2022 budget, senatorial town hall meeting also on 2022 budget as well as organizing interface between house committees on Finance and appropriation, that of local government, state budget office, as well as Civil Society and Media.
UNICEF and Arewa Research and Development Project (ARDP) are to be reached out to support some engagements as a mean of strengthening partnership with them aimed at enhancing participatory budgeting system in the state.
