By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Towards improving Local Government Budget preparation and processes, aimed at ensuring efficiency, USAID Nigeria funded State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness (State2State) Activity Bauchi State Field office has commenced a four-day Support Adaptation of the State Budget Manual for Budget Officers in Alkaleri, Bauchi, Katagum and Misau local government areas of the state.
The Public Financial Management (PFM) Advisor of State2State Bauchi Field Office, Mr Isaac Otabor said the objective of support training was to acquaint and also equip the participants with new innovations to budget preparation at the local government level.
In a welcome remark, State Team Lead of State2State Activity, Bauchi Field Office, Rabi Ekele called on the participants to avail themselves the opportunities of learning new things in Public Financial Management and new approaches to LG budget preparation and processes
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary State Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, represented by his Director, Planning Research and Statistics Mohammed Ya’u Abdu said the meeting was apt and would help the Local Government budget officers change their ways of operation to reflect the global best practice.
In a remark, the Overseeing Director of Budget, Ibrahim Ahmad Rufa’i who represented the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, noted that the State2State’s System and Capacity Strengthening model was commendable.
Our correspondent reports that participants will be taken through topics in Public Financial Management (PFM) cycle, the State Budget Manual and LGA Budgetary Process.