A WikkiTimes review of the budget performance documents of Northwestern states has revealed the pattern of expenditure for women affairs in these states.
A check on the website of Kaduna state for instance lists the functions of the women affairs ministry, painting a pivotal picture it plays in the development of women and the girl child of the state.
Across different states, the functions of women affairs ministries’ are similar.
However, how well are states funding the activities of the ministry to ensure optimal results?
Kano
In Kano state, while the ministry got a total budget of N1.126 billion for the 2023 fiscal year, it could only spend an actual figure of N164.332 million at the end of the year.
This would mean that in Kano, the actual budget execution stood at 14%.
Of the N164.332 million spent , N142.4 million was personnel expenditure while Overhead expenditure stood at N21.8 million.
Capital expenditure recorded was Zero naira.
A further review of the budget performance documents also show that while Kano state budgeted the sum of N480 million for girls education capital expenditure in 2023 it failed to spend any of this amount for the purpose.
The state also budgeted the sum of N581 million for female health capital expenditure but only spent N6.8 million.
Kaduna
In Kaduna state, while the ministry of women affairs could not be found in the budget performance document, the ministry of human services and social development capital budget stood at N2.689 billion while the actual capital expenditure stood at N89.63 million.
The total budget of the ministry was N6.028 billion, while the total actual expenditure stood at N425.3 million.
This would mean that only a total 7.7% budget performance was recorded.
Katsina
In Katsina, while the actual budget was N2.5 billion, the actual expenditure stood at N1.8 billion. This represents a 72% budget performance for the year.
Of this amount , personnel gulped N304 million overhead stood at N37.3 million while capital expenditure recorded was N1.469 billion.
Calls for Investment in Women Development
There have been calls for investment in women development.
The deputy director of Journalism programme at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, Busola Ajibola, noted that there is a keen need to invest in women development, healthcare and general empowerment .
Busola Ajibola, Deputy Director of the Journalism Programme at CJID who spoke during a media dialogue organized to commemorate the International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024, emphasized the crucial role of national and state budgets in shaping women’s lives.
