The Bauchi State Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Aminu Hassan Gamawa has declared that the era of bogus budget that cannot be implementable as witnessed during previous administrations is over.
Gamawa who stated this on Tuesday at the opening of a 2-day sensitization workshop for officers of budget preparation in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies noted that “Governor Bala Mohammed is quite aware of the previous bogus budgets which contain a lot of unrealistic and unimplemented items, that is usually culminated into poor performance.”
Adding that, “it is a trend which the present government is out to discard and adopt a Zero-Based Budgeting that is more concise, precise, cost effective and realistic.”
“As you are quite aware, a budget is an important tool and mechanism in which government at all levels, on a yearly basis, sit and come up with a comprehensive ways, procedures and strategies for generating funds as well as the ways for expending them on both economic, social, political and other spheres, all with the view of improving the living condition of our people,” Dr Gamawa added.
The Commissioner who declared that, henceforth, any project outside the approved budget without any genuine reason will not be considered, urged the participants to use the opportunity created by the sensitization workshop to listen and discuss exhaustively so as to come out with a fruitful and meaningful understanding on Zero Based Budgeting for adoption and implemention by the government.
The Budget and Economic Planning Commissioner said part of government’s efforts to ensure compliance with financial regulations is the Zero-Based Budgeting which will eventually boost performance, attract and qualify the state to get more support from the World Bank State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability.
Dr. Gamawa while tasking stakeholders in the sector to give government the necessary support in the implementation of the Zero-Based Budgeting in the state, pointed out that the budget and economic planning ministry is currently conducting a vote book inspection (VBI), aimed at updating financial records and identify such excesses for transparency, accountability as well as reporting to government for possible policy actions and feedback.
Dr Aminu Gamawa said the sensitization will among others, assist towards ensuring prudent management of the scarce resources and compliance with the provision of public financial management regulations in conformity with international best practices.
