By
Aisha Mohammed
Inclusive budget planning and community engagement have been identified as critical tools for building trust between government and citizens, achieving sustainable development, boosting revenue and strengthening financial capacity at the grassroots.
Country Director, OXFAM Nigeria, Tijjani Hamza, made the assertion at a budget town hall meeting organized by OXFAM in collaboration with the Yaharakari Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, CODERHI and CRUDAN in Biu and Kwaya Kusar Local Government Areas of Borno State, and Guyuk Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
The initiative, being implemented across selected LGAs in Borno and Adamawa States under OXFAM Nigeria’s Social and Economic Participation of Returnees, Internally Displaced Persons and Host Communities in North-East Nigeria, SEPIN SUSI, program, aims to enhance social cohesion, support community development and promote sustainable livelihoods.
OXFAM Nigeria Country Director, Tijjani Hamza, represented by the Project Coordinator, Samuel Lashon, said the importance of building trust between government and citizens could not be overemphasised, noting that budgets should reflect the needs and aspirations of the people.
He stressed that transparency and accountability in budget implementation would strengthen public confidence.
“When government budgets reflect citizens’ demands and people can track how funds are spent, it builds trust between the state and the community,” he said.
Hamza urged stakeholders to actively engage government authorities by asking relevant questions and monitoring budget implementation to ensure that community development plans translate into tangible results.
On her part, the Head of Program, SEPIN SUSI, Ana Vinambres, represented by the GIZ Borno State Field Coordinator, Goni Modu, said blocking revenue leakages would improve the grassroots revenue base.
She urged council leadership and other stakeholders to implement the outcomes of the engagement to foster social cohesion and sustainable development.
Chairmen of the selected Local Government Areas Biu, Mai-Sule Abubakar; Kwaya Kusar, Dahiru Hamma-Tahir, and Guyuk, Solomon Abafras, described the engagement, designed to deepen grassroots participation in budgeting processes, as the first of its kind in their respective councils.
They noted that the initiative would promote transparency and accountability.
While appreciating development partners for their contributions to community development and social cohesion, the chairmen expressed concern over the councils’ low internally generated revenue and pledged to implement the frameworks developed during the stakeholders’ meeting.
In a remark, the Emir of Biu, Mustapha Umar-Mustapha II, represented by the Betara of Biu, Aliyu Mohammed, commended the initiative, describing it as a step towards strengthening transparency and accountability in governance.
The project, titled “Support to Improving Social Cohesion through Community Development Planning in Three LGAs of the Northeast,” under the SEPIN SUSI programme, is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, BMZ, and the European Union.
It is implemented by OXFAM, Yaharakari Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, CODERHI, CRUDAN and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ, to support communities across Northeast Nigeria.
