The Nasarawa State Government has urged its citizens to make positive contributions and inputs into the state budgeting process.
Mr Daniel Agyeno, the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning, made the call on Thursday at a town hall consultation meeting on citizens’ budget participation in Akwanga, Akwanga Local Government Area of the state.
The town hall meeting, which targeted from Nasarawa North Senatorial district, had as its theme: ” Citizens’ Engagement: A Veritable Tool for Socio-economic Development”
According to him, the meeting is meant to get inputs, to discuss among stakeholders on the issue of their needs in order to have a holistic 2023 budget that will enhance development in the state.
The commissioner was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Emmanuel Alidzi.
” Today we are here in Akwanga to ensure that people from Nasarawa North Senatorial Zone also contribute to government policies and programmes by adding value to the state’s plans and actions.
” Citizens’ budgeting otherwise known as participatory budgeting is a process of democratic deliberation and discussion as well as decision making where the people decide how to allocate part of the state budget.
“This systematic process allows the people to identify, discuss and prioritise public spending on projects and to make real decisions about how funds are utilised, “he said.
He said objective was to bring together non-state actors under one roof and chart the way forward for greater development.
Agyeno urged the participants to voice out the challenges facing their communities in order to help the government in drafting its 2023 budget.
He commended Gov. Abdullahi Sule for being up and doing in addressing various challenges faced by communities in order to better their standard of living.
The commissioner called on the people of the state to support government policies and programmes to succeed.
Earlier, Mr Peter Ataka, the Director of Budget in the ministry, said that the state government would continue to engage its citizen in order to get their inputs while budgeting.
Some participants at the meeting, Mr Ali Ojah, Mr Bawa Sabo, Mr Adigizi Ekomki, Mr Bulus Doji and Elizabeth Maiangwan, appealed to the government pay more attention to youth empowerment, education, security, agricultural and infrastructural development in the budget.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting had in attendance representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Community-Based Organisations and Faith-based Organiations.
Others are market women, youth groups, farmers’ unions and the media.
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