Zamfara takes 2027 budget plan to communities
…Seeks citizens’ input on spending priorities
By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
The Zamfara State Government has commenced consultations with citizens and stakeholders across the state as part of preparations for the 2027 Annual Budget Estimate.
The government said the exercise was aimed at making the budget process more inclusive, transparent and responsive to the needs of residents.
The consultations, being conducted through Town Hall Meetings across the three senatorial districts, are intended to provide citizens with an opportunity to influence the projects and programmes to be prioritised in the 2027 fiscal year.
Speaking at the opening of the Zamfara State 2027 Budget Preparation Town Hall Meeting in Gusau, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Prof. Yahaya Zakari, said the initiative reflected Governor Dauda Lawal’s commitment to citizen-driven governance.
Zakari said the consultations would cover Zamfara Central, Zamfara North and Zamfara West, stressing that effective planning required government to listen to the people.
He said the exercise was not merely ceremonial but a deliberate effort to ensure that the concerns and development priorities of communities were reflected in the state’s 2027 financial plan.
“The budget is the blueprint through which we deliver services, projects and hope to our people,” he said.
The commissioner urged participants to make submissions on areas including security, education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, water supply, youth and women empowerment and other social services.
He said the government was particularly interested in practical recommendations that would help direct scarce resources towards projects and programmes with the greatest impact on communities.
Zakari maintained that citizens were in the best position to identify the challenges requiring urgent intervention because they experienced them directly.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Planning, Sani Abubakar Bukkuyum, described the budget as a key instrument for determining government expenditure in line with available resources and the needs of the people.
“Budget draws the attention of government to what to spend based on the needs and availability of resources,” he said.
Bukkuyum said the Town Hall Meetings would facilitate direct engagement between government and citizens, allowing communities and stakeholders to present their concerns, ideas and priority projects to policymakers.
He said the consultations would also provide the government with first-hand information on developmental challenges across the state, rather than relying solely on bureaucratic assessments.
The Permanent Secretary added that incorporating citizens’ contributions into the budget-making process would strengthen public ownership of government programmes and promote accountability in the management of public funds.
The government said traditional institutions, civil society organisations, professional bodies, youth and women groups and other stakeholders were expected to participate actively in the consultations and make constructive submissions toward a 2027 budget that addresses Zamfara’s development and security challenges.
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