Bauchi state government has said that henceforth only projects that have been chosen by the people of the state would be included in the state’s proposed budget.
State Commissioner of Budget and Planning, Dr. Aminu Gamawa, made the remark at public hearings on the state’s proposed 2020 budget, held at the three senatorial districts of the state namely Bauchi North, Bauchi South, and Bauchi Central recently.
The idea, according to the commissioner, was to make the 2020 budget people-oriented, thereby giving them the opportunity to contribute their inputs for inclusion.
Gamawa revealed that governor Bala Mohammed had resolved to allow the people to initiate areas of intervention in their localities for inclusion in the proposed budget to make it easier for the government to execute projects that would have a direct bearing on their lives.
He said this is the first time the present administration will have its own budget because the one in use was inherited from the past administration even though a supplementary one was done.
The commissioner emphasized that the new arrangement in the budget preparation was taken seriously by the government aimed at giving the people a chance in pinpointing their areas of demand for inclusion in the budget and subsequent implementation.
He said gone were the days when few individuals sit in a room and prepare a budget, without taking into cognizance, the needs of the people and advised the participants to feel free and identify critical areas requiring government intervention in their localities.
Also speaking on the objectives of the public hearing, permanent secretary of the ministry, Yahuza Adamu said it was meant to make the people claim full ownership of the budget.
Participants from across the three senatorial districts, who were the major stakeholders, centered their demands around five key areas of education, health, water and agriculture, roads and youths and women empowerment among others.
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