Budget Breakdown: Plateau Govt Engages Stakeholders On Successful Completion Of Projects
Yakubu Busari
The Stakeholders Town Hall Meeting on Citizens Engagement on the State Budgeting Process by the Ministry of Budget & Economic Planning in Plateau State have vowed that the new government came with a desire and passion to leave an indelible mark in the lives of the people after a successful completion of the process.
The Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Budget & Economic Planning, Chrisanthus Dawam made this disclosure at the Crest Hotel venue for a Town Hall Meeting with the six Local Government Areas of Plateau State in Plateau North Senatorial District.
The Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang administration’s seven focal points of the green cap policy thrust of the time now include; Good governance and citizens’ participation in sustainable development.2 Peace, security, and justice .3 Revamping agriculture and rural transformation .4 Education and Human capital development .5 Public health, environment, tourism and mineral development .6 Infrastructure and industrialization as well as 7.Taxation, resources Mobilization, and investment.
He charged the Stakeholders to support and encourage volunteer valuable inputs towards the achievement of the said goals, especially in the area of improving the internally generated revenue profile of the state and other interventions so that our democracy doesn’t end in the casting of votes but active even in governance.
Dawam employed the Stakeholders that they were expected to own and monitor all the projects cited in their domains having participated in the process through their valuable inputs.
According to him,”it is also worthy of note that, the citizens’ engagement is in fulfillment of the requirement by the program state fiscal Transparency, Accountability and sustainable program in preparing a budget that could add value in the lives of the citizens.
The Commissioner explained further that the administration had since demonstrated it’s commitment to the citizens by embarking on critical projects and programmes that have a direct bearing on the lives of the citizens as evidenced in the holistic rehabilitation of roads across the state.
Adding,” prompt payment of workers salary arrears of workers, pension and gratuity, provision of fertilizer to farmers at subsidize rate as well as strengthen the security architecture of the state among others.
” Dawam stated, as a government, we are fully aware of our responsibility to the citizens and will not relent despite all challenges but to remain focused and rise to the occasion.
“The government is aware of the economic hardship citizens are passing through as a result of the fuel subsidy removal which translated to an increase in the pump price of petroleum products, as well as the multiplier effect on the prices of goods and services.
” To this end, alternative measures are being intensified by the government to ameliorate the negative impact, but citizens need to exercise more patience, he explained.
