Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room on Tuesday conducted capacity-building training for community-based organizations drawn from the 34 Local Government Areas of Katsina State.

The training aimed at promoting good governance through civic education and citizens’ participation in the budgeting process and tracking during the execution of the 2024 budget year, is in collaboration with Youth Participation in Progressive Development Initiative (YPPDI).

This is the second time training similar to the one carried out since November last year after the state government presented its 2024 budget estimate of N454.3 billion to the state House of Assembly.

In this training held in the state capital, marginalized groups mostly people living with disabilities were also engaged.

Executive Director Youth Participation in Progressive Development Initiative (YPPDI) Kamaluddeen Kabir

In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of the Youth Participation in Progressive Development Initiative, Kamaluddeen Kabir, said, the training is part of a project funded by FCDO.

He said the training is geared towards promoting good governance through civic education and citizens’ participation in the budgeting process and tracking during the execution of the 2024 budget year.

Program Officer Youth Participation in Progressive Development Initiative (YPPDI) Yahaya Sa’idu Lugga

On his part, the Program Officer of the Youth Participation in Progressive Development Initiative, Yahaya Lugga, maintained that the training is designed to equip the participants with knowledge of budget tracking and how they can participate actively in the budgetary process to ensure that their views, needs, and requirements are incorporated in the budget process.

“We also want to appreciate the ICPC who are key stakeholders in fighting corruption for acknowledging our invitation,” Lugga added.

Unit Head, Public Education and Enlightenment, ICPC Katsina State Office, Sani Tarauni.

In the meantime, the Resident Anti Corruption Commissioner in the State, Mahadi Lawal, represented by the Head of the Public Education and Enlightenment Unit, Sani Tarauni, described the training as timely which can go a long way in the corruption fighting crusade.

This year’s Katsina State budget estimate is tagged “Building Your Future” where the sum of N20,513,909,753.71 was allocated to agriculture which represents 6.21 percent of the total capital expenditure, placing water resources and education at the forefront of its priorities.

Participants are, therefore, advised to hit the ground running by embarking on physical monitoring and evaluation of various government-sponsored projects across the state to ensure they are fully implemented.

During the one-day training, the urgent need to ensure that budgets in Nigeria are not only made realistic but are also fully implemented for the benefit of all has been stressed.