Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
Stakeholders in Sokoto State have called on the state government to significantly increase the annual budget allocation for addressing the Almajiri education system.
During a media roundtable discussion organized by PLAN International, in partnership with a non-governmental organization, the Productive Community for Sustainability Initiative held at the Ministry of Finance Conference Hall in Sokoto on Thursday, key speakers emphasized the need for urgent reform.
Musa Muhammad Wamakko, Director of the State Ministry of Budget, attributed the poor performance of the education system to the state’s centralized accounting system.
He argued that this system, introduced during the military regime, caused significant delays in budget implementation.
“No one wants to have zero budget performance,” Wamakko stated, expressing frustration over the continual budget reviews that show little progress.
“Every quarter we review the budget, and we are not happy with the results. Previously, our budget performance always ended up at 29 to 30 percent by year’s end.”
Wamakko recalled a time when the state operated a treasury system, which allowed directors to award contracts based on departmental provisions.
However, with the introduction of the current centralized system, these decisions have been delayed, affecting implementation and outcomes. “The military introduced this system to us, and it’s causing delays in our work,” he noted.
Wamakko urged stakeholders to form an advocacy coalition to press the state government on revitalizing the Almajiri education system, an issue that he believes requires immediate attention and action.
In his remarks, Comrade Usman Binji, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Sokoto, also stressed the importance of integrating Almajiri education into the formal educational system.
He assured his union’s full support for efforts to incorporate the system into mainstream education.
Nura Suleiman Tangaza, Executive Director of the Productive Community for Sustainable Initiative, welcomed participants and highlighted the organization’s ongoing work in Sokoto and Bauchi States, funded by Plan International.
Tangaza emphasized the importance of addressing the challenges of street begging and modernizing the Almajiri system.
He pointed out that without proper intervention, these children could become a burden on society rather than future leaders.
A key point raised during the discussion was the state’s budget allocation for the Almajiri education system. Nura Usman, a director at the Sokoto State House of Assembly, delivered a goodwill message, noting that in 2024, the state’s budget for Almajiri education saw zero performance, despite an allocation of N70 million.
For 2025, the allocation was reduced to N28.27 million, highlighting a troubling decrease of over N41 million between the two years. Usman stressed the importance of evaluating budget performance, saying, “You cannot just keep some funds where there is no performance.”
Yusuf Abdullahi, a budget analyst with the Sokoto State House of Assembly, confirmed this discrepancy, noting that various infrastructure projects for Almajiri schools were allocated significant sums in both 2024 and 2025, yet no progress was made.
For example, N80 million was allocated for the construction of two blocks of classrooms in Goronyo and Sokoto South local governments in both years, yet no funds were utilized.
Abdullahi also pointed out that a N600 million rehabilitation project approved in 2024 had zero performance by the end of the year, and the same project was approved for N300 million in 2025. This decrease in allocation, despite ongoing inflation and other challenges, was a concern for many.
Despite these challenges, Abdullahi expressed hope that with the involvement of development partners, Sokoto could witness rapid improvements in budget implementation.
As the stakeholders continue to push for reforms, the urgency of addressing the Almajiri education system remains clear.
The call for increased funding, better budget management, and modernization of the system is seen as critical to providing these children with the education they deserve and shaping the future of Sokoto State.
