The Nasarawa State Government has organized a retreat for selected public office holders to ensure effective budget implementation for the overall development of the state.
The 2-day Retreat on budget enactment and implementation strategy for the 3 arms of government holding in Akwanga LG has its theme “Towards Ensuring Better Understanding and Improved Implementation of the Budget: The Role of the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary”.
Declaring the retreat opened the State Governor Abdullahi Sule urged the participants to take the retreat with all seriousness it deserves.
The Governor said that the workshop was organized to equip participants with knowledge for successful and harmonious budget implementation.
Sule has commended the Nasarawa State House of Assembly under the leadership of Balarabe Abdullahi for effective oversight on the activities of MDAs aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in governance.
“I don’t interfere with the activities of the House.
“Oversight is right and must be done as my administration is anchored on transparency, accountancy, and prudent management of resources,” he said.
The Governor urged the managements of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies MDAs to continue to be opened to various committees of the state assembly for peace, accountability, and development to thrive.
He has also called for effective synergy with the arms of government to promote peace and socio-economic development of the state.
The Speaker of the House, Balarabe Abdullahi, appreciated the governor for approving the retreat.
He said that the retreat was a brainchild of the assembly to ensure that the right thing is been done at all times, especially in the area of budgeting and its implementation.
“The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended has empowered the House to appropriate funds to MDAs and oversight what the House has appropriated for them.
“In the course of our oversight, we have discovered that some MDAs have over spent what we have appropriated to them.
“Some MDA complained that their budgets have been cut off by the Ministry of Finance.
“This retreat will help in addressing many issues relating to budgeting and its Implementation,” he said.
The speaker has assured Gov. Sule of more synergy for development to thrive.
The Chief Judge of the State, Justice Aisha Bashiru, represented by Justice Samuel Aboki has appealed for releases to ensure effective service delivery in the state.
In their remarks, Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Aliyu Dogara, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr. Emmanuel Alidzi, commended Gov. Abdullahi Sule for approving the workshop.
They said that the retreat would help in ensuring effective implementation of the budget and will boost development across the state.
Dominica Nwabufo
