Olukayode Babalola, Nasarawa.
Some participants at a six-month training on budget tracking and monitoring in Nasarawa State have commended its organisers, the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) Mada Hills and its partners for the training’s impact.
The participants gave the commendation in separate interviews with newsmen in Lafia on Friday after a one-day Review/Reflection meeting.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that YMCA Mada Hills is carrying out the training project which commenced in February to conclude in June, in collaboration with Association of Small Scale Agro Producers (ASSAPIN) and Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (OXFAM).
The training is being carried out in Lafia, Kokona and Akwanga Local Government Areas respectively representing the three senatorial districts in the state.
NAN reports that the training aims at sensitising participants on how to prioritise their needs, push for its inclusion in government’s budget and how to track and monitor the implementation of the budget.
The meeting was to assess the impact so far and chart the way forward after the training.
Mrs Esther Rize, a participant, said the project was an ‘eye opener’ as it had empowered participants, who are community stakeholders, on the need and how to get involved in budget formulation concerning their communities.
“The project has been very impactful because the training we have received so far has made us to realise how to formulate our priorities to government to be included in the budget and how we can follow up on it,” she said.
Rize explained that the training also emphasised on communal efforts in demanding for appropriate budgeting.
According to her, the revelation during the training that some counsellors were not even involved when budgets under their purview are being prepared was shocking.
“One of the challenges we are facing is that most councillors are not involved when budgets concerning communities under them are being prepared and when communities present challenges facing them, they find it difficult to table it to appropriate authorities.
“So, this training or project is an eye opener for communities especially those in the grassroots.
“We now know the process, how to draft and submit a community development plan, ensure that our specific needs are in the budget and how to follow-up to ensure implementation,” she said.
Mr Samuel Kaso, another participant, described the training as interesting because participants were exposed to the fact that they had an important role to play in budget preparation and implementation.
“From what we have been put through, we have been made to realise that everybody can contribute his quota to the development of his community and stepping down the training to communities has enlightened many on how to demand for specific needs in budgets,” Kaso said.
In his opening remarks, Mr Obadiah Anji, President, YMCA Mada Hills, appreciated the participants for attending the review meeting, and said the essence of the meeting was to examine the progress or shortcomings recorded since the training project commenced months earlier.
Also, Mr Ango Adamu, Executive Secretary, YMCA Mada Hills, said the project after its conclusion in June could also be extended to other local government areas in the state.
Adamu said that the aim would be to change the narrative towards inclusive and monitored budgeting.
“We want people to participate in the budgeting process from the grassroots so that their voices can be heard.
“There is what we call the community development plan, which is a template for communities to come out with the priorities of their communities that can be infused into local government budgets,” he said.
In another interview, Mr Joshua Jonathan, National President of ASSAPIN, said that progress had already been made with participants stepping down the training they received to their various communities.
Jonathan said that feedbacks, so far, had been positive. (NAN)
