Budget Advocacy Workshop: Kaduna Accountability Groups Rekindle Commitment

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna 

Members of key accountability mechanisms in Kaduna have pledged stronger collaboration and more strategic advocacy following a four-day capacity-strengthening workshop on budget performance analysis, monitoring, tracking, and evidence-based advocacy.

The training brought together the Kaduna Education Accountability Mechanism (KADBEAM), Maternal Accountability Mechanism Initiative in Kaduna (KADMAM), the Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism (KADLGAM), and the Open Government Partnership.

The workshop which was organised by the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) and the UK-Nigeria, Lafiya Programme, held in Kano.

Commending the organisers, Garba Muhammad, Co-chair of KADMAM, said the workshop had sharpened their ability to design and implement effective advocacy.

“From the very first day, we began thinking about how to work more closely as a team. 

“This collaboration will help us carry out joint advocacies in both healthcare and education. Even though PLANE focuses on education, there is a strong link between health and education, and this training has shown how they complement each other,” he noted.

Closing the workshop, Kelechi Ugwu, Policy and Strategy Intervention Manager at PLANE, praised the participants’ high level of engagement.

“Earlier this year, we observed how your feedback led to real-time changes during a live demo session. That level of dynamic engagement is inspiring. 

“Your contributions have even prompted us to develop a new guide that wasn’t initially planned,” Ugwu said, expressing confidence that participants’ future advocacy will yield better government responses.

Mubarak Siraj, PLANE Reform Facilitator, reminded participants that the training was “a means to an end” in a process designed to achieve tangible results. 

He stressed the importance of accurate messaging, stakeholder analysis, and adaptability in advocacy work.

“If your messaging is wrong, everything else will also be wrong. Get your facts right, understand who stands with you or against you, and you will navigate challenges without being overwhelmed,” he advised.

Participants pledged their renewed commitment to applying their new skills to drive accountability in education and health financing across their respective communities