Ugwuanyi restates commitment to partnerships, inclusive budget process

Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has restated his administration’s commitment to open partnership and an inclusive budgeting process with stakeholders and citizens of the state.

He made the pledge through the state Ministry of Budget and Planning, yesterday, at a One Day Citizens’ Engagement on the 2022 Budget.

Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Dr. David O. Ugwunta, said this was in line with Ugwuanyi’s commitment to openness in governance, all-inclusive budgeting process as well as a requirement of the state’s Fiscal, Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme. 

Addressing participants at the event, Ugwuanyi, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, restated the government’s commitment to the underlining principles of transparency, accountability, fiscal discipline, inclusiveness and partnership in governance.

Ugwuanyi maintained that from inception, his administration signed up to open government partnership, which leads to openness, inclusiveness and transparency in the budgetary procedure. 

Stressing the need for citizens’ engagement in the preparation of the 2022 budget, the governor stated that the exercise provided a viable platform for Enugu people to make inputs to development projects they would want the government to execute in 2022.

He pointed out that his administration has put an end to the era where the people were presented with a catalogue of budgets that were never executed, adding that the state government has always taken practical steps in identifying people-oriented projects that are achievable in line with Section 14 sub-section 2 of the Nigerian Constitution. 

Ugwunta commended the governor for his transparency and accountability in governance, saying: “The essence of citizens engagement is to carry them along in government’s projects and activities.” 

He added that in preparation for the 2022 budget, it was expedient to generate inputs from the people on what they wanted the state government to do in the next fiscal year and beyond.

Some of the participants at the event are Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Adaonah Kene-Uyanwune, members of the State Executive Council (EXCO), religious and traditional rulers, as well as civil society organisations (CSOs), among others.