Sokoto Assembly Pledges Due Process On 2026 Budget

Sokoto State House of Assembly has promised to conduct proper legislative processes to pass and implement the state budget.

The speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Tukur Bala Bodinga, made the pledge at the opening of a two-day sensitisation and programme-based budgeting (PBB) training workshop held for members of the legislature.

It was organized by the state’s Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in collaboration with UNICEF-EU SUSI Project.

Bala, who was represented by the House leader, Hon. Bello Idris, said the appropriation law is the most critical in any legislature worldwide and explained that the lawmakers were prepared for the best legislative process for the approval and passage of the 2026 budget.

In his address, the state commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Abubakar Muhammad Zayyana, stated that Programme-Based Budgeting is a new approach focusing on efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability with public resources.

While praising UNICEF for its initiative and support in helping the state to achieve its lofty goals,  Zayyana, emphasized that the training encompasses input, output, and outcomes for the benefit of the state’s citizens.

He also acknowledged the support from the state government and spoke about the ministry’s commitment to ensuring all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs, design their 2026 budget in accordance with Medium Term Expenditure Framework.

The head of the UNICEF Sokoto Field Office, Dr Mikel Juma, explained that Programme-Based Budgeting was initiated and worked on in three states last year and is now extended to another three states.

He emphasised that the aim is to support their transition to Programme Based Budgeting, which will provide clear results on the spending of government resources.