The Kaduna State PAS coalition supported the 23 local government councils of Kaduna state to validate their 2021 proposed health budgets. The coalition also launched the people’s scorecards on RI, FP, PHCUOR and CKD during the meeting.

Organized by the Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission and the 23 LGAs of the State, the meeting was aimed to ensure adequate provision is made in the proposed 2021 health budget for all the councils in the state.

The objectives of the meeting were:

• To deliberate on how the town hall meeting will be held at the zonal level, and plan.
• To share a link that will connect those to the meeting to cross-check the Budget.

The meeting drew participants across all the 23 LGAs from different works of life both public and CSO/CBOs. It was facilitated by the Executive Director of Aid Foundation and the Chairs of LGAs CDC in Kaduna State.

In his opening remarks, Director of Budget and Planning, Malam Idris Suleiman thanked all participants for sparing time to come and contribute to the submission of the budget that will be of benefit to their communities. He highlighted how critical the contributions of every participant will be in designing and coming up with a workable health budget for the 23 councils of the State. He described the meeting as a connection between the government and the citizens of the state.  Mr. Idris commended the dRPC-PAS for supporting the activity.

In his remarks, The Executive Director of Aid Foundation, who is the co-chair of Local government councils CDC, called on community development champions (CDC) to look at their most recent CDO and identify projects that were not implemented in their communities for inclusion in the proposed 2021 health budget of the State local councils. He also noted what was happening with the physical responsibility law, and suggested a session should be anchored by Budget and Planning so as to ensure commitment.

Other participants expressed the importance of consultations before the budget is submitted and called for the annual town hall meeting to be institutionalized.

CSOs at the meeting agreed that the planning commission should ensure that adequate consultation is done before the budget is submitted. It was suggested that Planning and Budget should work with commissioners for local governments to make it an annual event.

Feedback/Discussion from Session: The meeting ended with the suggestions as follows:

• Term Expedition Framework has been submitted to the State House of Assembly a month ago but the consultation was not done due to Covid-19.
• The zoning model will still be maintained as it was i.e. Zone 1 meeting is Barewa College Hall Zaria, Zone 2 – Sir Kashim Ibrahim house, and Zone 3 – New World Hotel Kafanchan.
• Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF): Most CDCs do not know what it meant. Lack of knowledge on the basics of MTEF will affect CDCs’ contribution. Community members i.e.; lecturers, doctors will be engaged in the consultation.
• CDCs will partner with their LGA Chairmen to provide a venue, laptop, and a projector for the town hall meeting. The focal persons are the CDCs working with their CDOs.
• Planning and Budget Commission should roll out letters to all LGA Chairmen which will be co-drafted immediately after the meeting. The SDCS should liaise with YALI officers in their communities to help with the issue during the town hall meeting. Attendance sheets will be given at the town hall meeting which is to filled and submitted back to the Ministry for Budget and Planning.

Next Steps

• Townhall meeting will be held concurrently in all the 23 LGAs on the 26th of September.
• Medium Term Expedition Framework will be reviewed on Wednesday the 23rd of September at 10:00 am.
• Planning and Budget Commission should draft letters to all Local Government Chairmen to invite relevant stakeholders for the town hall meeting across the Zones.

Conclusion

The Project Director of IIGES-PAS said history has been made by allowing people participate in the Budget and Planning. He appreciated all for coming and they should continue to participate and work hard to see that the town hall meetings become a success. He urged all to look forward to making all the Primary Health Care Centers working with priority to Family Planning, Routine Immunization and Child-killer diseases. He also thanked dRPC-PAS for organizing and hosting the meeting and Kaduna State for engaging citizens which they did last year and everyone for sparing time to come and wished them safe journey back to their various destinations. Highlight of the event was the launching of the people’s scorecards for RI, FP, PHCUOR, and CKD for the state.

In his closing remarks, the Executive Director of Aid Foundation and Co-Chair of LGAs CDC in his final words thanked the dRPC-PAS for the support to hold the meeting.