3 Kano LGs consult communities for 2016 budget

Three local government areas of Kano state have kicked off next year’s budgetary preparations with a view to addressing most pressing needs of their people by inviting them to participate in the process. The local councils, Garun Malam, Dawakin-Tofa and Sumaila organised participatory budgetary and was attended by Community Based Organizations (CBOs), ward leaders and […]

Three local government areas of Kano state have kicked off next year’s budgetary preparations with a view to addressing most pressing needs of their people by inviting them to participate in the process.
The local councils, Garun Malam, Dawakin-Tofa and Sumaila organised participatory budgetary and was attended by Community Based Organizations (CBOs), ward leaders and other stakeholder, who all made various submissions on issues related to health, education, water, agriculture and roads rehabilitation.
In Garun Malam, the Vice Chairman, Ibrahim Tsoho said: “The participatory budgetary process is to provide communities the opportunity to be involved in the LGA budget preparations for the coming year.
“In the past, people were not consulted, they only see projects going on, but this is changing as LGAs are beginning to realize the benefit of consulting with their constituencies before taking such decisions.”
CBO Chairman of Garun Malam Youth Progressive Movement (GYPM), Awaisu Umar said they presented the consolidated needs of the various communities in the LGA after going round to consult with them. He also said they had carried out community mapping to find out the service shortages within their communities.
Sadiya Adamu, State Programme Manager for Mobilizing for Development (M4D), a DFID-funded local governance programme working in the three local government areas to improve budgeting processes said the LGA participatory process was in line with the policy of the government of Nigeria.
She said that LGAs would be more effective in meeting the needs of their people when the citizens also learn to pay their taxes.
M4D Local Governance Coordinator, Abba Isyaku Adamu commended Kano State government for its commitments in ensuring participatory budgeting.
He added that M4D was supporting three LGAs in Kano State to demonstrate how these participatory processes could be applied at local level.
Dawakin-Tofa LGA Chairman, Alhaji Sale Rabiu Dandalama commended the CBO for making their job easy, as he promised to give special consideration to the demands presented.
He also said that the LGA had already signed a bye-law to ensure sustainability of such participatory practices in the LGAs.