The Anambra State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budgets, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake says the Governor Chukwuma Soludo administration strictly adheres to stakeholder’s opinion in budgeting and implementation.
The Commissioner stated this at Nibo, Awka South Council Area during a United Nations Children’s Fund, programme tagged “South East Zonal Policy Dialogue on Social Budgeting for Child-Sensitive Sectors” which attracted State Commissioners and permanent secretaries in ministries covering portfolios that affect child development in the South East Zone and other policy and sectoral stakeholders who came to brainstorm on a brighter and healthier future for Nigeria’s children.
The dialogue also hopes to engage states to collaboratively chart a path to adequate and sustainable financing, especially for the social sectors.
Addressing the gathering, Commissioner Nnake noted that Anambra state government before and after budgeting, has continued to implement children-centered policies, ranging from free antenatal services, mother and child health care and free basic education and noted that through the Ministries of Education as well as Women and Children Affairs, the state government has touched the lives of many children especially the vulnerable.
The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of United Nations in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall said that the UN is looking forward for sustainable development goals which they can support and accelerate to tackle challenges facing children to ensure that they have a better future and challenged the participants to come up with solutions that will incorporate the private sector, faith-based organisations, community leaders, women Organization and many others to achieve sustainable goals.
In his speech, the UNICEF Chief of Field Officer, Enugu, Dr Olunsoji Akinleye explained that the dialogue which was conceptualized under the UNICEF framework for public financing for children is important and timely now, considering the fact that they are at a crucial time of governments’ 2025 budgeting activities.
Dr Akinleye noted that through the dialogue, states would be provided the opportunity to exchange ideas, challenges and best practices related to budget formulation and implementation, highlighting key bottlenecks faced by Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as possible policy remedies to address the barriers.
Giving the background objectives of the dialogue, the Social Policy Officer, Mr Victor Chima maintained that social services are adequately budgeted for by engagement of commissioners and permanent secretaries which will lead to supporting different aspects of budget phases, including budget consultative forum where all components will gather to discuss on financial management and have a common understanding of what is required for the next year’s budget.
On her part, the Communication Officer, UNICEF Enugu Field Office, Dr Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe listed four linked pillars of social policy to include child officers, social protection, public finance management and local governments.
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