By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
The European Union, EU, has urged the Sokoto State House of Assembly to strengthen its oversight of public spending, improve legislative capacity and ensure that approved budgets translate into measurable improvements in the lives of citizens, particularly vulnerable groups
The call was made during a policy dialogue involving the EU, development partners and lawmakers on budget implementation, legislative effectiveness, social protection and institutional accountability
The EU, through its representatives, stressed that effective legislative oversight was essential to ensuring that public funds were released and utilised for the purposes for which they were appropriated
Head of UNICEF Field Office in Sokoto, Michael Juma, said continuous capacity development was necessary for the Assembly to effectively discharge its constitutional responsibilities
Juma said lawmakers needed stronger expertise in legislation, policy formulation, budget scrutiny, standard operating procedures and monitoring of government programmes to ensure that public spending achieved the desired results
He also commended the Assembly for embracing programme-based budgeting, describing it as a system capable of linking government expenditure to specific targets, expected results and measurable development outcomes
Juma urged lawmakers to pay particular attention to the timely release and effective utilisation of funds allocated to social programmes, warning that delays could undermine interventions targeted at children, women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups
He also commended the state for allocating more than 16 per cent of its budget to education and other social sectors, stressing that sustained investment in human development remained important to addressing poverty and vulnerability
EU seeks stronger social protection
EU Programme Manager for Social Protection in Nigeria, Chioma Osuji, acknowledged the Sokoto State Government’s commitment to social protection, particularly the establishment of a dedicated committee in the Assembly and the inclusion of social protection in the state budget
Osuji said institutionalising social protection through legislative and budgetary processes would provide a stronger foundation for sustainable interventions
She urged the state to strengthen its Social Registry to ensure that assistance reached the poorest and most vulnerable residents
She added that the EU was supporting Sokoto in areas including health, education and durable solutions, expressing confidence that the state would gradually assume greater ownership of the programmes
Assembly seeks support for Tsangaya reform, digitalisation
Responding, the Majority Leader of the Assembly and Chairman of the House Committee on Social Protection, Hon Muhammad Bello Idris, said the legislature valued its partnership with the EU, UNICEF and other development partners.
Idris said lawmakers had benefited from several capacity-building initiatives supported by the development partners
He disclosed that the Assembly was considering the integration of English Language and Mathematics into the Almajiri and Tsangaya education system, describing the proposal as timely for equipping children with basic literacy and numeracy skills
He said budgetary provision had already been made for the initiative, adding that the Assembly would examine the proposal to ensure the necessary appropriation and legislative backing for its implementation
The Majority Leader also appealed to the EU and other development partners to support the Assembly’s transition from largely manual parliamentary operations to a fully digital legislative system
According to him, digitalisation would improve efficiency, transparency, documentation and access to legislative records
Representing the Speaker, Rt Hon. Tukur Bala Bodinga, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Kabiru Ibrahim Kware, assured the EU and other partners that the Assembly would continue to strengthen its constitutional oversight role.
Kware said the legislature would also collaborate with development partners on initiatives aimed at improving democratic governance, accountability and service delivery
The Clerk of the House, Almustapha Sidi Attahiru, similarly called for additional support to strengthen the capacity of lawmakers and legislative staff in social protection, legislative research, policy development and parliamentary administration
The EU delegation reaffirmed its readiness to deepen collaboration with the Assembly in budget oversight, digitalisation, social protection and institutional development