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Lagos State Government has commenced consultations with residents across the five divisions of the state to determine priority projects and programmes for inclusion in its 2027 budget.
The government said the exercise would give communities an opportunity to directly influence spending priorities, while also providing a platform to account for projects requested during previous budget consultations.
Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George, disclosed this at the 2027 Budget Consultative Forum held at the Multipurpose Hall, Radio Lagos, Agidingbi, Ikeja.
George said the consultations were designed to ensure that the needs and concerns of residents, particularly those at the grassroots, were reflected in the 2027 Appropriation Bill.
According to him, government was also using the exercise to report back to communities on the implementation of projects and programmes requested in previous years.
He acknowledged that government could not accommodate every demand but said the administration had sustained the practice of returning annually to communities to explain what had been implemented and receive fresh requests.
George said the participatory budgeting process was important in aligning government expenditure with the priorities of residents.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Olayinka Ojo, described the forum as both a feedback and data-gathering mechanism.
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She said the consultations demonstrated the government’s commitment to inclusive governance and would enable residents to contribute to policies and programmes affecting their communities.
Chairmen of local governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders attended the forum.
Some community leaders claimed that between 70 and 85 per cent of requests presented during previous consultations had received government attention.
They said the exercise had strengthened grassroots participation by providing communities with direct access to government officials to articulate their needs.
The stakeholders, including community leader Adesegun Olatunde, however, asked the government to give greater priority to healthcare and environmental sanitation in the 2027 budget.
They particularly sought increased investment in primary healthcare, arguing that accessible health services at the grassroots would improve the wellbeing of residents and reduce pressure on secondary and tertiary facilities.
They also called for increased attention to waste management and environmental sanitation, saying a cleaner environment was critical to public health and quality of life.
The government is expected to continue the consultations across the five divisions before finalising the 2027 Appropriation Bill.
