The Ebonyi State government led by Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has increased its budgets in the Agric, Education, Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sectors.
The Commissioner for Budget, Planning, Research and Monitoring in the state, Chief Mrs. Deborah Chinwe Okah disclosed this in Abakaliki, the state capital during Community Based Interactive Inputs Into the 2024 Proposed Budget.
Mrs Okah who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Grace Mfon Williamson, noted that Agriculture which used to have a 2.3% budget, will have a 10% percent according to the state 2024 proposed budget.
There has been a clamour for an increase in the state Agric budget by NGOs including Agric Budget Cluster(AB•C) Plus funded by USAID palladium to ensure food sufficiency in South East where the group advocated for 5% budgetary allocation by the states in the region to the Agric sector.
Mrs Williamson noted that the proposed 2024 budget was in line with the People's Charter of Needs mantra of Ebonyi State government.
"In the 2024 proposed budget, Education is over 30%, health is over 15% WASH is 5% and Agric is 10%. So these are the basic needs."
"The budget on these sectors has improved, it has improved. What we had in Agric was 2.3% over the years but it is now 10%.
"The narrative has changed, it is also getting to the rural communities.
"In this budget, there is a rural electrification project. The Commissioner for Rural Development brought it up for all the wards in the state. It is a project that has started."
"We worked with the People's Charter of Needs and we embedded everything that is the heart of the citizens in the proposed budget", she said.
Speaking at the event, the State's Team Lead, USAID (S2S) Barr. Dubem Onyia described the budget as a financial plan for the execution of projects as captured noting that the crystal expects of budgeting is making sure that it is inclusive, participatory, citizens based and accommodates the needs and priorities of various strata of society. Adding that the Community Charter of Demands (CCD) is aimed at promoting citizens and community-based participation in the budget process.
Barr Onyia urged the participants to see themselves as being an important part of the budget process and to make their inputs accordingly.
He commended the ministry for going around the communities to generate projects through the CCD process while applauding the Ebonyi State governor for unveiling a wonderful initiative in his charter of needs which he said is the same thing with the CCD projects already captured in the budget and expressed USAID readiness to continue to support the state government, especially the ministry.
In his commentary, Oliver Ajah, the state Coordinator Network of NGOs, urged the state government to ensure that the inputs by the citizens of the state in the 2024 proposed budget were implemented.
He regretted that the last administration couldn't put into use the inputs made by the citizens of the state for this year's budget.
"It is one thing for the citizens to make input into the budget, it's another thing for such budget to be implemented.
"I have a small village across the three zones that we were able to attract prioritize needs into the budget and they were rejoicing but as I am speaking to you right now, that budget has not been implemented."
"So, we are going to move this charter forward. Thank God for this new administration which is talking about people's charter and when you are talking about people's charter, people's needs should be prioritized.
"We must make sure that all hands are on deck to ensure that these inputs that are made, are being prioritized when it comes to implementation ", he stated.
Responding, the state Auditor-General, U.S.A Udu who described the budget as a plan of action expressed in monetary form, assured that the citizen's inputs in the 2024 budgets would be implemented.
"We are aware that the government we have now in the state is very focused and transparent and the Network of NGOs can attest to that", he stated.
In a vote of thanks, the Director of Budget in the Ministry Mrs Chinyere Ituma thanked the governor of Ebonyi State, Rt Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for sponsoring the annual event and appreciated all the participants.
©Odi Chukwuma
Head, Public Relations Department,
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