Uba Sani committed to citizen participation in budget process – Commissioner

The Kaduna State Government has reaffirmed its dedication to involving citizens in budget preparation and review, in line with its membership of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and Governor Uba Sani’s campaign pledges.

Commissioner for Planning and Budget, Alhaji Muktar Ahmed, made this known during a stakeholders’ engagement on the 2025 First and Second Quarter Budget Implementation Report.

He recalled that community engagement was a key element of the governor’s manifesto, noting that town hall meetings have been held to gather public input during budget formulation.

Ahmed emphasised that Kaduna was among the first sub-national governments to sign onto the OGP, which promotes citizen participation in the budget cycle.

“This engagement fulfils both the governor’s campaign promise and our obligations under the OGP,” he said.

“It is also unique because, for the first time, children were invited to participate — they have a voice and deserve to know how their money is being spent.”

Presenting the half-year budget performance, the commissioner revealed that as of the end of the second quarter of 2025, Kaduna recorded an actual total revenue of ₦91.23 billion, while year-to-date total expenditure stood at ₦89.20 billion.

Cumulative half-year figures showed ₦340.30 billion in revenue and ₦208.76 billion in expenditure, representing 43.1% and 26.4% performance against the 2025 approved budget, respectively.

He also highlighted the draft 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, stressing the need for increased investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, disaster risk management, ecosystem restoration, and accelerated mitigation efforts.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Muktar Abdullahi, described stakeholder contributions as crucial to shaping budget estimates.

The event drew representatives from civil society organisations, women’s groups, persons with disabilities, academia, professional bodies, students, and the media.