Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
Sokoto State Government has announced plans to institutionalise periodic consultations with traditional rulers to identify community priorities and ensure that development partners’ interventions are properly aligned with the actual needs of residents across the state.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening grassroots participation in development planning, improving coordination of donor-funded projects and eliminating duplication of interventions that could undermine the effective utilisation of resources meant to improve the welfare of citizens.
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Development, Dr. Bashir Muhammad Achida, disclosed this at the 2027 Budget Town Hall Discussion held in Wurno Local Government Area for stakeholders from the Sokoto East Senatorial District. He said the government was determined to make community needs a central consideration in its development agenda.
Achida explained that the Ministry of Budget and Economic Development would spearhead the engagement with traditional institutions as part of its responsibility for economic planning, development coordination and the harmonisation of activities undertaken by development partners operating in the state.
According to him, the periodic consultations would provide a structured platform for traditional rulers to communicate the pressing needs of their communities, enabling the government and its development partners to direct resources towards interventions with measurable social and economic benefits.
“The objective is to ensure that interventions by development partners respond to the actual needs of the people, rather than being designed without sufficient consideration of community priorities,” the commissioner said, stressing the importance of avoiding duplication, waste and misplaced development priorities.
He further disclosed that the ministry had been restructured and strengthened by Governor Ahmed Aliyu to enable it to discharge its statutory responsibilities more effectively, particularly in coordinating development initiatives and ensuring that public planning processes deliver tangible benefits to the people.
Describing the budget town hall meetings as a critical component of participatory governance, Achida said the consultations offered citizens an opportunity to influence the allocation of public resources by presenting their needs, expectations and development priorities before the preparation of the 2027 state budget.
He commended the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the European Union for supporting the participatory budgeting process, noting that collaboration between government institutions and development partners remained important to achieving inclusive and sustainable development.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Buhari Umar, urged participants to make their contributions specific, practical and reflective of the most pressing challenges confronting their respective communities.
He expressed satisfaction with the impressive turnout and active participation of traditional institutions, community leaders, civil society organisations, youths, women and persons with disabilities.
Umar also announced plans for a grand finale of the consultation exercise, during which submissions from the various town hall meetings would be consolidated and presented for further review.
Additional contributions would be sought to refine the proposals before a draft 2027 budget is submitted to the state executive for consideration.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Sokoto State and Chairman of Tambuwal Local Government Area, Abba Shehu Tambuwal, acknowledged Governor Aliyu’s approval of the initiative, emphasising the importance of involving citizens and local institutions in determining development priorities.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, represented by the District Head of Wurno, Kabiru Chigari Alhassan, commended the state government for recognising the relevance of traditional institutions in grassroots administration and development planning.
The Royal representation underscored the importance of sustained collaboration between government authorities and traditional leadership in addressing community needs.
Earlier, the Chairman of Wurno Local Government Area, Alhaji Abba Isah Sadiq Achida, expressed appreciation to the state government for projects executed across local government areas, while other speakers, including the Special Adviser on Economic Planning, Abdullahi Ango Jabo, local government chairmen from the eastern zone, and representatives of women and persons with disabilities, contributed to discussions on inclusive development.
The engagement reinforced the importance of translating citizens’ recommendations into practical budgetary decisions that improve service delivery, strengthen accountability and ensure that development interventions reach the communities for which they are intended.
