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From Shafa’atu Suleiman, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government has moved to tighten public spending as it commenced the review of proposals for the 2027 budget, directing ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to eliminate waste, avoid duplicate projects and align expenditure with the state’s development priorities.
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Bashir Muhammad Achida, gave the directive while declaring open the 2027 budget discussion and review sessions with MDAs in the state.
Achida said the exercise was aimed at producing a budget anchored on accurate data, verifiable evidence and programmes capable of delivering measurable benefits to the people.
He directed all MDAs to submit their 2027 budget proposals for critical analysis and deliberation, stressing that such submissions must be based on their statutory mandates and aligned with the economic priorities of the state.
The Commissioner also charged MDAs to operate within approved expenditure ceilings, provide clear descriptions for budget lines and ensure that proposed programmes and projects were directly linked to Governor Ahmad Aliyu’s nine-point SMART Agenda.
According to him, the theme of this year’s budget deliberation is: “Strengthening Budget Discipline, Clarity and Alignment with Government Priorities.”
He said the theme was designed to promote greater discipline, transparency and clarity in the budgeting process and prevent the submission of vague, unverifiable or inaccurate data by government agencies.
Achida said the state government was particularly concerned about ensuring that public funds were directed towards projects with the greatest developmental impact.
He therefore urged MDAs to cut waste and eliminate duplicative projects, while reviewing existing projects based on their relevance, performance, completion status and contribution to government priorities.
“A good budget is not only about how much is allocated, but also about clearly explaining what the money is intended to achieve,” he said.
The Commissioner explained that the 2027 budget must provide the financial instruments required to implement government policies and priorities, adding that budget proposals should establish clear links between government priorities, programmes, activities, outputs and expected outcomes.
He warned MDAs against proposing projects merely because they appeared in previous budgets, stressing that every existing project must be subjected to performance and relevance assessment.
Similarly, he said new projects must be properly prioritised to ensure that scarce public resources were channelled to interventions capable of producing the highest developmental impact.
Achida reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to accountability, value for money and results-driven spending, saying the ultimate objective was to ensure that government expenditure translated into tangible outcomes for citizens.
Meanwhile, the Ministries of Skills Acquisition, Agriculture, and Animal Health, Fisheries and Livestock, alongside their respective parastatals, were among the first MDAs to present their 2026 performance and 2027 budget plans.
Speaking during the deliberation on his ministry’s 2027 proposal, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Animal Health and Fisheries, Alhaji Almustapha Abubakar Alkali, disclosed that the ministry received between 45 and 50 per cent of its 2026 budget allocation.
He expressed optimism that funding and releases to the ministry would improve in 2027, particularly with the state government’s renewed focus on agriculture.
Alkali said the agricultural sector would receive significant attention under the new budget framework and pledged that the ministry would translate increased funding into greater support for farmers across the state.
He commended the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning for introducing guidelines requiring MDAs to clearly explain how proposed programmes and projects would be implemented before funds could be allocated.
According to him, the new approach would make ministries and agencies more accountable and ensure that budgetary allocations were tied to realistic programmes and expected results.
He urged all ministries, departments and agencies to submit detailed proposals supported by clear explanations and realistic projections.
The Permanent Secretary also disclosed that the state government had procured 250 tractors for distribution to farmers across Sokoto State.
He said the 250 tractors were in addition to 100 tractors allocated to Sokoto State by the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, bringing the total number of tractors to 350.
According to Alkali, the tractors would be leased to farmers to support agricultural activities and boost production across the state.
He said the intervention, alongside other planned investments in the agricultural sector, was expected to strengthen farming activities and contribute to improved livelihoods for farmers in Sokoto.
