By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has commenced a sensitisation and capacity-building workshop on Public Financial Management (PFM) for the Executive Chairmen of the 23 Local Government Councils, with a strong focus on improving budgeting, reducing child poverty, strengthening accountability, and delivering better services to communities.

The workshop, coming ahead of the 2027 local government budget preparation process, seeks to equip council chairmen with the knowledge and skills required to prepare realistic, transparent and responsive budgets that prioritise investments in healthcare, education, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), social protection and other essential services.

Speaking at the opening on Monday in Kano, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Mahmud Lawal, described the workshop as timely and strategic, noting that preparations for the 2027 local government budgets had already commenced following the issuance of the Budget Call Circular.

He urged the chairmen to see budgeting as more than a statutory obligation, stressing that it should serve as a practical instrument for promoting sustainable development, reducing poverty and improving the quality of life of citizens.

Lawal said Kaduna State had continued to strengthen public financial management at the local government level through reforms such as the adoption of the National Chart of Accounts, harmonised budget preparation guidelines, improved budget performance monitoring, enhanced financial reporting and stronger accountability mechanisms.

Representing the Honourable Commissioner of the Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission and speaking on behalf of the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance, the Permanent Secretary, Muktar Abdullahi, described sound public financial management as the foundation of good governance.

According to him, transparent and accountable management of public resources is essential for translating government revenues into improved infrastructure, quality social services and sustainable development at the grassroots.

He encouraged participants to take advantage of the workshop to strengthen their understanding of budgeting and financial management, noting that the knowledge gained would support the preparation of credible budgets and improve implementation across the 23 local government councils.

Delivering UNICEF’s goodwill message on behalf of the Chief of Field Office, Dr. Gerida Birukila, the organisation’s Health Specialist, Dr. Idris Baba, said the workshop was coming at a critical period as Kaduna State prepares for the 2027 budget.

He commended the Kaduna State Government for its commitment to strengthening governance systems and improving the wellbeing of children and women through better public financial management.

Baba said local governments remain the point where government policies are translated into tangible results, stressing that no matter how well policies are designed at the state level, their success depends largely on effective implementation at the grassroots.

He said one of the major objectives of the workshop was to strengthen participants’ understanding of public financial management systems, identify existing gaps and explore practical strategies for improving resource mobilisation to enable local governments to deliver more and better services.

According to him, UNICEF believes that efficient planning, management and utilisation of public resources ultimately translate into improved opportunities and better outcomes for children, women and communities.

Chairman of the Kaduna State House of Assembly Committee on Planning and Budget, Hon. Peter Agite, urged participants to treat the workshop as an opportunity to build their knowledge rather than just another official engagement.

He said policymakers have a responsibility to understand public financial management because informed decisions on budgets and oversight directly influence investments in critical sectors and the quality of services delivered to citizens.

The workshop is designed to strengthen participants’ understanding of the principles of public financial management, the legal and institutional frameworks governing local government finances, and the application of the National Chart of Accounts in budgeting, accounting and financial reporting.

It also seeks to improve participants’ understanding of the multidimensional nature of child poverty and how evidence and data can be used to prioritise spending, allocate resources and target interventions more effectively.

Other objectives include strengthening local government capacity in budget preparation, execution, monitoring and financial reporting; identifying constraints affecting budget implementation; promoting sustainable approaches to internally generated revenue without imposing undue burdens on citizens and businesses; and encouraging peer learning among the 23 local government councils.

Participants are also expected to develop practical action plans that translate evidence on child poverty into implementable local interventions while identifying quick-win and long-term strategies to improve human development outcomes.

Organisers said the workshop is expected to produce stronger commitments by local government chairmen to implement public financial management reforms that will improve transparency, accountability, fiscal discipline and service delivery, while ensuring that the 2027 local government budgets respond to the needs of communities and deliver lasting benefits for children, women and vulnerable populations across Kaduna State.