KWSG concludes citizens’ engagement for 2025 budget drafting
As part of preparations for the 2025 budget, the Kwara State government has concluded its series of citizen engagement forums across the state’s three senatorial districts. The initiative, which included representatives from Kwara South, Kwara North, and Kwara Central, was designed to incorporate the input of residents before the appropriation bill is finalized and submitted to the House of Assembly.
The engagement forum for Kwara North took place in Baruten Local Government Area, while those for Kwara South and Kwara Central were held in Oke-Ero and Ilorin South Local Government Areas, respectively.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development, Alhaji Lafia Kora-Sabi, emphasized that the forums were aimed at promoting economic and infrastructural development across the state. He highlighted that the events focused on capturing the grassroots’ developmental needs in the 2025 budget.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has made citizen engagement a key component of his administration’s policies to foster inclusivity and accelerate development. Kora-Sabi urged attendees to freely share their suggestions, assuring them that their recommendations would be considered in the upcoming budget.
Hajia Fatimah Lawal, Chairperson of the Committee on Finance and Appropriation in the state House of Assembly, commended the large turnout at the event, while Hajia Maryam Aladi, member representing Ilorin South Constituency, encouraged participants to make the most of the opportunity.
Local government chairpersons across the senatorial districts expressed gratitude for the government’s efforts, praising the initiative for promoting transparency, accountability, and participation in governance. They pledged to support the state’s plans by addressing the needs of people at the local level.
The state Director of Budget, Alhaji Shamsideen Aregbe, presented the state’s budget performance, reaffirming the government’s commitment to implementing projects that would positively impact the lives of residents.
Traditional rulers also weighed in on the citizen engagement forums. The Emir of Okuta, Alhaji Abubakar Idris, representing Kwara North, praised the initiative as a progressive step, while the Alofa of Iloffa, Oba Samuel Dada, speaking on behalf of Kwara South, called for a focus on road rehabilitation and agricultural inputs to combat food insecurity.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Sadik Atiku, the Balogun Fulani of Ilorin, urged the government to address rising insecurity, which he said has discouraged many youths from pursuing farming. In Kwara North, youth leader Abdullah Hamidu requested the establishment of Computer-Based Test centers in the Baruten-Kaiama axis, noting the long distances students must travel to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
Representing civil society organizations, Mrs. Christie Ayobami-Oluwole, Coordinator of Global Hope for Women and Children, called on newly elected local government chairpersons to emulate the state government’s citizen engagement strategy, which has been in place since 2019.
