…Commissioner of the Planning and Budget Commission emphasizes the importance of stakeholder collaboration.
In a concerted effort to improve governance and address service delivery challenges, the Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission, in collaboration with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL) – PACE Programme, hosted a two-day technical session in Zaria from Monday, May 25 to Tuesday, May 26, 2025.
Held at the Fabs Hotel in Zaria, the event brought together a broad coalition of stakeholders—including government officials, civil society organizations, and community leaders—for what was described as a “Whole of Society Issue-Based Workshop.” The session aimed to diagnose barriers in public service delivery and develop inclusive
strategies to promote sustainable, people-centered governance.
Speaking at the opening of the session, the Commissioner of the Planning and Budget Commission, Hon. Mukthar Monrovia, emphasized the importance of stakeholder collaboration.
“This workshop is a pivotal moment in our collective journey to transform governance and enhance service delivery,” the Commissioner said. “By bringing together voices from across the society—citizens, civil servants, and development partners—we are co-creating solutions grounded in reality and aimed at real impact.”
He called on participants to engage fully, noting that their insights and active contributions are key to building sustainable, transparent, and accountable governance systems.
Bashir Abubakar Ladan, Director of the Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Planning and Budget Commission read the speech on behalf of the commissioner.
Gloria Kasang Bulus, a consortium partner in the project, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing climate change mitigation and building resilience. Responding to a participant’s concern, she noted that climate challenges cannot be tackled in isolation. “Working together will help amplify our voices,” she said, underscoring the need for strengthened partnerships among stakeholders to ensure that interventions are inclusive, far-reaching, and impactful.
The Civil Society Co-chair of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in Kaduna State, Mubarak Abdulganiyu, said “I commend the strategic importance of the Whole-of-Society Approach under the UK-funded PACE (Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement) program. This initiative aligns with our shared vision of inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance, especially in
addressing the growing impact of climate change on vulnerable communities. By integrating voices from civil society, women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups, the approach strengthens participatory policy-making and bridges the gap between government and citizens.
He added that “Through collaborative research, policy dialogues, and capacity-building efforts, PACE supports the creation of climate-responsive governance frameworks, including a social protection strategy tailored to communities affected by climate shocks. For civil society, this is a vital opportunity to deepen accountability, enhance evidence-based advocacy, and ensure no group is left behind in Kaduna State’s resilience planning. The model reinforces our role in co-creating policies and advancing sustainable, people-centered development.
A Multi-Stakeholder Push for Reform
The workshop focused on three key objectives:
- Facilitating structured, inclusive engagement to ensure transparent prioritization of public issues.
- Strengthening coalitions for improved dialogue between citizens, the state, and non-state actors.
- Diagnosing challenges in governance and climate change through shared knowledge and awareness-building.
Strategic Dialogue, Tangible Outcomes
Participants deliberated on issues ranging from climate resilience and budget accountability to inclusive governance and citizen feedback mechanisms. The technical session served as a platform for identifying system-wide blockages and proposing evidence-based strategies to overcome them.
Organizers say the discussions will feed into a broader reform agenda, with a focus on actionable outcomes that can be tracked over time.
The workshop serves as an avenue for a renewed commitment by all parties to maintain dialogue, build on shared priorities, and translate recommendations into measurable progress.
