UNICEF begins capacity building for Katsina lawmakers on Fiscal Responsibility

The United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF), has organised a four -day capacity strengthening workshop for members of the Katsina State House of Assembly on Fiscal Responsibility.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop, holding in Kano, was organised in collaboration with the Katsina State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

The workshop was to strengthen roles of the lawmakers around budgeting systems across the State Development Plan (SDP), Medium Term Expenditure Framework, and fiscal strategy paper amongst others.

In his opening remarks, the Speaker of the assembly, Alhaji Nasir Yahaya-Daura said the exercise would go a long way in supporting them to discharge their responsibilities as lawmakers.

Yahaya-Daura said that, “As members of the state assembly, we are responsible for making laws that will benefit the people of Katsina, and monitor the budget performance.

“It is also our commitment to collaborate with partners to support the state’s Fiscal Responsibility Commission to work better, especially in view of the fact that the commission was recently established.

“We are grateful to UNICEF for supporting us with instruments and training for the commission. We also appreciate their efforts in making this event a reality.”

Earlier, Alhaji Muhammad Danrimi, the Director, Planning of the ministry of Budget and Economic Planning said the meeting “is to improve the understanding of the legislators on fiscal responsibility. 

“And also to review budget systems and performance, and to strengthen the role of legislators in championing public financing for children.”

In a goodwill message, Hamidou Poufon, Chief of Social Policy, UNICEF Country Office, said that investing in children by any government remained an investment for future 

Poufon added that UNICEF was fully committed to what would be agreed on at the end of the exercise, especially regarding the implementation of the SDP and reviewed budget systems.

According to him, such engagements will assist in ensuring the SDP is implemented and to deliver results for the teaming population of the state, knowing that children remained investment of the future.

He commended the high level of commitment by the state government and the lawmakers toward improving the well-being of children in the state.

NAN reports that other stakeholders from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from the state were part of the meeting. 

Abbas Bamalli NAN