Sokoto Govt Holds Town Hall Meetings to Incorporate Citizens’ Views into 2027 Budget

The Sokoto State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to a citizen-centred budget process, assuring residents that their contributions will be incorporated into the 2027 state budget.

The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Bashir Muhammad Achida, gave the assurance during the 2027 Budget Zonal Town Hall Discussion for the Eastern Zone held in Kware Local Government Area.

Achida said the consultation was part of Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s efforts to ensure that government policies, programmes and projects reflect the needs and priorities of the people.

He attributed the successful organisation of the town hall meeting to the governor’s support for the ministry and commended him for approving the consultations to gather citizens’ inputs for the 2027 budget.

The commissioner described the initiative as the first of its kind in the history of the state, noting that it would provide an opportunity for residents to participate directly in the budget preparation process.

He assured participants that their written and oral submissions would be carefully considered and streamlined into the budget.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Buhari Umar Musheshi, explained the objectives of the consultation and expressed satisfaction with the large turnout of participants from across the Eastern Zone.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Sokoto South Local Government Area, Malam Ya’u Muhammad Danda, urged residents to demonstrate patriotism by developing a sense of ownership and responsibility towards public infrastructure in their communities.

Danda also commended the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning for reflecting citizens’ contributions from the previous consultation in the current state budget.

In his remarks, the host chairman of Kware LGA, Alhaji Ibrahim Attahiru Rugar Giwa, thanked the state government for selecting the area to host the meeting and pledged the support of local government chairmen for the initiative.

Goodwill messages were delivered by the representative of the Sultan, the District Head of Dundaye, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, women’s groups and persons living with disabilities.

The groups commended the state government for adopting an inclusive approach to budget preparation, which allows different segments of society to contribute to decisions affecting their communities.

The consultation forms part of the state government’s efforts to gather public input and align the 2027 budget with citizens’ needs and development priorities.