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Legislators

UNICEF Calls for Child-Centered Budgeting in Gombe State

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As the government of Gombe State in Nigeria gears up to implement its 2025 budget, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has emphasized the importance of placing children at the heart of the budget planning and implementation process. According to UNICEF Country Representative, Ms. Wafaa Saeed, child-centered budgeting is essential for sustainable development and social equity. The organization commended Gombe State for its progress in governance, transparency, and infrastructure, but stressed that the true measure of development lies in the well-being of its children.

Key Takeaways:

  • UNICEF has called on lawmakers and government officials in Gombe State to prioritize child-centered budgeting in the 2025 budget.
  • Ms. Wafaa Saeed, UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, emphasized that child-centered budgeting is crucial for sustainable development and social equity.
  • Gombe State has made commendable progress in governance, transparency, and infrastructure, but still faces challenges in ensuring universal birth registration, education for all girls, improved sanitation, and access to nutrition.
  • The state's budget implementation gaps, including leakages between allocation and actual impact, threaten to undermine development efforts.
  • The Financial Transparency and Accountability Commission in Gombe State has been commended by UNICEF for its efforts in promoting transparency and accountability in budgeting.
  • Gombe State has officially shifted from traditional input-based budgeting to Program-Based Budgeting, starting with the 2025 fiscal year.
  • Program-Based Budgeting focuses on results, linking government spending directly to measurable outcomes such as reduced malnutrition, improved school enrollment, and greater access to maternal care.
  • The Gombe State House of Assembly has expressed its support for UNICEF's recommendations, pledging to work with the executive to ensure that the budget Truly reflects the needs of children across the state's constituencies.
  • UNICEF has partnered with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to facilitate the Program-Based Budgeting workshop, which aims to build capacity for results-based budgeting aligned with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS), and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Statistics:

  • $100,000 allocated for birth registration, but only $20,000 may reach those it's meant for (leakage gap).
  • Launch of the Financial Transparency and Accountability Commission to promote transparency and accountability in budgeting.
  • Commencement of Program-Based Budgeting in Gombe State, starting with the 2025 fiscal year.
  • Shift from traditional input-based budgeting to results-based Program-Based Budgeting.
  • Hosting of the Program-Based Budgeting workshop in Jos, Plateau State, to ensure full participation and focus by lawmakers and top committee heads.

Sources:

  • UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Wafaa Saeed
  • Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon. Salihu Baba Alkali
  • Chairman of the House Committee on Environment and Water Resources, Hon. Musa Manaja
  • Gombe State House of Assembly
  • United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
  • Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Nigeria
  • Programme-Based Budgeting (PBB) workshop, Jos, Plateau State
  • Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)
  • Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS)
  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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