Jagaba on Gov el-Rufai's 2020 Budget

Fallout of lopsided implementation of state budget in the education sector

By Nasiru Jagaba

jagabanasiru@gmail.com

Let me start by commending the Governor of Kaduna state for being consistent in maintaining the January to December budget year. This provides some high level of fiscal and economic sustainability in the State. My commendation may come as a surprise to many who know that I have been a consistent critic of his government as the national youth Leader (out-going now) of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU).

My stand has not changed as I remain a dogged fighter of injustice regardless of its form of manifestation. However, in analyzing governance, one must uphold a higher level of objectivity by appreciating progress (no matter how small) while fighting for fairness, equity and justice.

That aside, I have committed myself to tracking governance in Kaduna state and Nigeria to ensure that the right of citizens to development is guaranteed.

As many of us are aware the 2020 draft budget has been presented to the Kaduna State House of Assembly by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe. It is now expected that the Assembly will scrutinize the appropriateness and distribution of the N257,908,819,733.66 budget made up of recurrent allocation of N67,877,232,798.52 and capital expenditure of N190,031,586,935.14.

Looking at it from the surface, one is tempted to acknowledge the effort of the government in maintaining a ratio that favors capital expenditure (with the recurrent expenditure not exceeding 30% over the past five years). Again the capital expenditure proposed this year is about the highest ever.

However, on deeper interrogation one's excitement will be depressed, as budget performance over the years has left little to be desired.

So also, if one considers the lopsidedness in the spread of development in the State; while the Northern side (pre-dominantly Hausa/Fulani Muslims) of the State enjoy government presence, the Southern Kaduna(pre-dominantly non- Hausa/Fulani Christian) area is glaringly left to suffer for supposedly not being in the good books of the Governor.

This has fueled more mutual mistrust and suspicion between the people of Southern Kaduna and the Governor than any other time in the history of the State. It is not in contention that the Governor has never hidden his disdain for the region, even when he should be a father for all.

It is in view of this brief highlights above that I challenge the government of Mallam Nasir Ahmed Elrufai to:

1. make public the breakdown geographical spread (Kaduna North, Central and South Senatorial zones) of the sectorial budgets of Kaduna state from 2016-2019;

2. show the breakdown geographical spread (Kaduna North, Central and South Senatorial zones) of the sectorial budgets performance of Kaduna state from 2016-2019 (mid-year);

3. show the number of projects started and completed in each of the three Senatorial zones from 2016 to 2019;

4. show us one community in Southern Kaduna or largely non-Hausa/Fulani that has received his developmental attention in comparison to Rigasa, Ungwan Dosa etc;

5. make public the geographical spread of how the government intends to spend the N190,031,586,935.14 proposed Capital expenditure;

6. also, the N45,473,026,469.45 external loan, how much is each Senatorial zone is getting.

7. Other issues are that: the 2020 budget is proposing to spend over 30 billion naira on roads, can the Governor also make public the geographical distribution of the roads to be constructed;

8. finally, there are rumors that Kaduna is worst off today in all health indicators compared to before 2015 despite huge donor funds spend; can the government comes out with evidence to dispel this rumors.

I will stop here, and challenge the government to demonstrate publicly in action its rhetorics of being pro-people, fair, equitable and just to all sections of the State. The government is said to be a pacesetter in governance reforms that promote transparency, accountability and responsiveness to citizen's engagement. Now is the time to proof it as not being stage-managed to hoodwink the international community.

The good people of Kaduna state, Nigerians and International communities await your response on the above issues raised.

Jagaba who writes from Kaduna is the President, Network for the Rights of Indigenous and Marginalized People.

Comments

Coalition urges COP-27 to fast track advocacy against Climate Change

Participants in a group photograph after the event in Kaduna By EDDY OCHIGBO, A coalition of environmental organizations in Kaduna, under the aegis Extinction Rebellion (XR) - a global movement which seeks to persuade governments to act justly on climate change and ecological emergency - has hosted a pre-COP27, in partnership with Bridge-that-Gap Initiative, to galvanize the campaign against climate change, as the the 27th Conference of Parties slated for Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt kicks off. In an exclusive interview with NATIONAL ACCORD, one the coordinators of the event in Kaduna metropolis, Mr Zinta Akpoko, revealed that COP27, Egypt could become a turning point of the campaign, given that forerunners of the conference have since pledged to relentlessly push to prioritize climate financing for developing nations. "The effect of climate change is very evident and we need to be very frank by telling the truth about the inherent dangers tha...

When competence matters in leadership recruitment

President Muhammadu Buhari DANGWA Danjuma T he tension that greeted Peter Obi’s walk out on the People’s Democratic Party included the concerns on availability of another competent partyman who will be worthy of the demand for the incorruptible leader to emerge vis a vis deputize when the chips are down. This also has been made easy by governor of Ebonyi, Engineer Dave Umahi’s exit from the party who would have stood out in the event that Obi falled shy of the Vice Presidential slot. This box around the party, underpinned by an outcry for national unity by nominating the South Eastern deputy in the second attempt of Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President, to dismiss the two term era of the incumbent All Progressive Congress on the premise that a good number of Nigerians will reconsider the PDP as a better alternative. However, viable options exist outside the South East for the PDP, particularly in the Niger Delta where state governors under the party hav...

DEVELOPMENT DIALOGUE

Prof. Simon Iritwange Acting President Yam Farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria 'Farmers must access quality seeds for food security and sufficiency' - Professor Iritwange P rofessor Simon Iritwange is the Acting President Yam Farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (YFPMAN) and a Senior Lecturer with the University of Agriculture Makurdi, Benue state. The University Don exudes passion when issues concerning agriculture in the country are raised as was the case during the recently concluded 2-day strategic stakeholders meeting in Kaduna on the vital need for the production and even distribution of quality and improved seeds and seedlings in the country. He strongly be...

Media Body moves to make Kaduna Residents more Environment-friendly

Media Executives and Environmentalists at the event By EDDY OCHIGBO, I n a renewed move to make residents more environment friendly and halt the fast changing climate - largely due to negative human activities - a Kaduna-based outfit, Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF), during the week trained Journalists and critical stakeholders on specialized environment reporting; disaster risk reduction with special emphasis on disaster management, to augment and stimulate participation in mitigating climate change. AMDF's Deputy Executive Director Sekyen Dadik, while outlining the strategies of her organization to carry all and sundry along in the campaign to mitigate climate change lamented: "No doubt, the Earth’s climate has always been changing, but because of human activities it is now changing faster than it has for thousands of years. This climate change is here to stay, and it will affect all of our lives and nearly every aspect of society, from our health and foods supp...

NEWS FEATURE: Kaduna's Unhealthy Health Sector

One of the neglected health facilities in Kaduna Metropolis By NASIRU JAGABA jagabanasiru@gmail.com During a recent trip to Kafanchan to receive a Humanitarian award from 'One Voice Foundation', I used the opportunity to continue my survey the revitalization of the 255 Primary Health Centres (PHCs). Steven Magee cautions, "If you want to be lied to, all you have to do is believe everything that the government tells you". These are the strategic priorities of the State's Development Plan (SDP): governance and stewardship; health services delivery; health financing; human capital resources. Compositely too are health infrastructure, management information systems, research and development, education and promotion, partnership, community ownership and participation; maternal and child nutrition are the strategic priorities of Kaduna State's Development Plan (SDP). This strategic document has always been governed by a medium term ...

Cubinks NEWS

Search This Blog