On the 29th of December, 2022, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State signed a budget of N376.5 billion for the fiscal year 2023.
Barely after three months into the fiscal year, a bill for a Law to provide for the Supplementary Appropriation of Funds for the Government of Kaduna State in the Sum of N8.4 billion is before the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
This if appropriated and approved will bring the total budget for the year 2023 to N384.9 billion.
It is disturbing that despite the fact that the State has committed to open budget in the State Action Plan (SAP, 2021-2023) of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), citizens were neither consulted, involved or allowed to make inputs in the preparation of the supplementary budget before the State Assembly.
Dear resident of Kaduna State, your apathy towards tracking and monitoring the budget process is equivalent to boarding a public vehicle as a passenger without knowing or asking of its destination.
The only way the government can provide for your security and welfare is through effective participatory budgeting and its effective implementation.
So the only way to ensure they do that is if you participate, engage, ask the right questions and hold the government accountable as to how they allocate to priorities and execute the budget.
Now that the supplementary budget is before the State Assembly, It is important you hold your legislators accountable. After all, that is why they are there – to consult and involve you in the process of law-making (which includes appropriation of the budget), oversight and evaluation of public accounts.
Lets engage ask the right questions and hold the government accountable.
Y.I.Goje
Active Citizen
