From Mu’awiya Bala Idris
The Chairman of the Katsina State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Ibrahim Danjuma Machika, has urged local government councils in the state to remain committed to proper budget implementation.
Machika made the call during the ongoing 2026 budget defence sessions for local government councils, noting that effective implementation of budgets would boost economic activities at the grassroots and improve the living standards of the people.
He assured that the committee would strictly monitor the execution of council budgets in line with its oversight responsibilities.
“As representatives of the people and members of the committee, we will closely monitor all spending by local government councils to ensure that public funds are judiciously utilised,” he said.
Machika further clarified that the budget defence exercise was not intended to witch-hunt any individual but to carefully scrutinise the budget proposals of the councils in accordance with constitutional provisions.
In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Abduljalal Haruna Runka, described the exercise as part of the legislature’s annual constitutional duty to ensure accountability and compliance with financial regulations by local government councils.
Runka urged council chairmen to cooperate fully with the committee to ensure a smooth and transparent budget defence process.
During the exercise, the chairmen of Baure, Mai’adua, Sandamu, and Zango local government councils presented their proposed budgets. Baure presented N8.4 billion, Mai’adua N9 billion, Sandamu N7.4 billion, while Zango submitted N7.6 billion.
The budget defence exercise is expected to cover all 34 local government councils in Katsina State.
