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From Shafa’atu Suleiman, Sokoto
The immediate past Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning in Sokoto State, Dr Abubakar Mohammed Zayyana, has charged his successor, Dr Bashir Muhammad Achida, to prioritise the completion of the State Development Plan and ensure that government policies are guided by data.
Zayyana, who voluntarily resigned his appointment to contest the Gwadabawa/Illela Federal Constituency seat under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), gave the charge while briefing the new commissioner on the activities and achievements of the Technical Working Committee on the state’s 9-Point SMART Innovative Agenda.
The meeting, held at the conference room of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, was also attended by members of the committee and other key stakeholders.
He urged him to make effective use of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), recently launched by the state, in designing and implementing development interventions.
He also called for sustained attention to the State Development Plan initiated during his tenure, stressing the need for continuity in the implementation of the administration’s development blueprint.
According to him, the framework for the 9-Point SMART Agenda has already been developed, while UNICEF has agreed to partner with the ministry to scientifically assess the performance of government against each thematic area of the agenda.
He further urged the new commissioner to give priority to the state’s Key Performance Indicators, with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning playing its coordinating role in the overall development process of the state.
Zayyana also advocated the continuation and expansion of zonal town hall meetings, through which citizens contribute to the state budget process.
He expressed hope that the initiative would eventually be extended to wards and local government areas to deepen citizens’ participation in governance and budget preparation.
The former commissioner further advised his successor to strengthen the ministry’s Monitoring and Evaluation Department and the Department of International Cooperation to improve the effectiveness of development programmes and partnerships.
Responding, Achida expressed appreciation for the foundation laid by his predecessor, describing his contributions to the ministry’s transformation as significant.
He particularly commended Zayyana for the development of the 9-Point SMART Innovative Agenda document, the Multidimensional Poverty Index and his coordination of development partners in the state.
Achida pledged to consolidate the achievements recorded by the ministry while introducing fresh ideas aimed at moving the ministry forward and boosting the state’s economy.
He also promised to remain open to advice from his predecessor, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders in the discharge of his responsibilities.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Buhari Umar Musheshi, commended members of the Technical Working Committee for their commitment to the development of the state.
Earlier, the committee’s Secretary and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, and the State Statistician-General, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulrahman Shagari, presented an overview of the committee’s activities.
Other committee members, including the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Nasir Daniya; State Chairman of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, Comrade Bello Gwadabawa; and Professor Abubakar Abdullahi, also highlighted priority areas requiring the new commissioner’s attention.
