Increase budgetary allocation to education to avert decline — Citizens tell Gov Sule

By David Odama

Citizens and stakeholders in Nasarawa state Friday expressed concerns over the declining educational standard especially state owned schools; calling on the government to increase the budgetary allocation to avert the threatening decline.

Speaking in Obi Local Government Area during the 2024 Citizens’ Budget town hall consultation meeting for Nasarawa South Senatorial District, Coordinator of the Small Holder Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria in Nasarawa State, Mrs Jummai Yohana, examined it was becoming worrisome the declining status of education, particularly in rural areas with a concomitant lacked of teachers and other infrastructure.

Yohana who appealed to the government to increase budget allocation in the education sector to avert looking collapse facing schools in both the rural and urban areas, also called on the government to provide farm inputs to women farmers to enable them reduce food insecurity threatening the country .

“We urge the government to improve the standards of public primary and secondary schools because we cannot afford to send our children to private schools We depend on government schools and these schools are dilapidated and this has become a major challenge to us” the mothers cried out

Also speaking, representative of the Tiv Youth Development Association, Mr Pius Adam, called for the establishment of a Quality Assurance office to oversee educational projects and ensure productivity as well as putting the welfare of civil servants, teachers at all levels first for the good of the state.

The National President of Koro Youths in Nigeria and Diaspora, Mr Safiyanu Hassan, applauded the state government for allowing citizens to participate in the budget process and suggested ideas that will assist the state government in preparing the 2025 budget.

He, however, called on the state government to construct more rural roads to connect them to urban centres to promote growth and development.

Earlier, Commissioner for Finance, Budget, and Planning, Hajiya Munira Abdullahi represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Polinus Felix Wahe, said Citizens’ budgeting was a democratic process that empowers citizens to decide how the resource is allocated in the budget and other government plans.

The Commission explained that the town hall meeting on Citizens’ Budget was in line with the disbursement link indicator II of the States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) protocol, which emphasised increased openness and citizens’ engagement in the budget process.

“This Citizens’ town hall engagement is a testament to the unwavering dedication of our esteemed governor, Abdullahi Sule to elevate Nasarawa State to a new height of excellence and progress. This initiative forms our commitment to connect our people with the current socio-economic, and political in Nigeria and around the globe.

“We are here in Obi to ensure that the voices of Nasarawa Southern Senatorial Zone; Awe, Doma, Keana, Lafia, and Obi LGAs are heard, and contribute to government policies and programmes,” she said.

It would be recalled that the 2024 consultation theme: “Citizens’ Engagement: A Veritable Means for Transformational Commitment” drew participation from Awe, Doma, Keana, Lafia, and Obi LGAs who represented their various communities, organisations, and groups, among others.