Kaduna State government has trained Directors of Planning and Budget from all the 23 local government areas on how to manage public funds to finance social protection programmes.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the two-day workshop was organised by the state Planning and Budget Commission (PBC) in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Kaduna Field Office.
At the opening on Wednesday in Zaria, the Permanent Secretary, PBC, Mr Mukthar Abdullahi, recalled that UNICEF had supported a capacity-building for the 23 local government areas earlier.
He said the workshop provided leadership and policy direction for strengthening public financial management at the local government level.
He urged the directors to ensure that local government priorities were properly reflected in plans and budgets.
He listed education, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, and social protection among key priorities requiring adequate budgetary attention.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Dr Mahmud Lawal, said the programme came at a critical time.
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Lawal said local government areas were being repositioned to strengthen financial management, improve budget credibility and ensure public resources were directed towards impactful programmes.
The Executive Chairman, Kaduna State Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Alhaji Sani Bako, said the quality and credibility of budgets depended significantly on the competence, professionalism and integrity of budget officers.
Representing UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Kaduna, Dr Gerida Birukila, the Social Policy Officer, Wakidara Akila, said UNICEF supported development through public financial…
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