Borno: Stakeholders advocate inclusion of underage in Budget 2022

Stakeholders in Borno state on Thursday advised the government to make adequate budgetary allocations that will ensure underage children are taking-off the streets.

The stakeholders stated this during a town hall meeting in preparation for the 2022 Financial Appropriation in the state

The Town Hall meeting which is the third in it series organised by the Ministry of Finance , Budget and Economic Planning where the commissioner , Hon Adamu Lawan said the 2022 budget will be prepared with ” total collaboration of our various communities demand and inline with our 25 years development plan and 10 years strategic master plan framework .”

The stakeholders also requested the government to prioritize vocational training for the many jobless teenagers and youths roaming the streets of towns and villages in the state. 

“This is very important. We need to give these children also both quranic and western education, lest they become a time bomb as we have already witnessed in the state the ills that illiteracy has done in the last 12 years.” The stakeholders observed 

This was part of the submissions of the stakeholders drawn  from various segments on the society in Borno State which include Politicians, Religious bodies, Traditional Rulers, Labour Union , Women Group , Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ)and People Living With Disabilities ( PLWD) who converged at Multipurpose  Hall of the  State Government House

A retired Permanent Secretary in the state Civil Service, Alhaji Zanna Mahdi who spoke at the occasion stated that the government must act fast to make budgetary provisions to accommodate the needs of many street children with a view of preventing them from any antisocial vices.  

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Mahdi noted that many Street children who  were  roaming the streets since the advent of Boko Haram in 2009  are now teenagers without  jobs ” neither do they have Quranic nor Western education .

”  These children were between 5 ,6 and 7 years old when the insurgency began but they  are all grown up now and idle. The state government must make  financial appropriation that will capture these children before they become time bomb\

“The government must identify these children in all local government areas, give them quranic and western education and also engage them in skills acquisition ” Mahdi said   

Mahdi  added  that ” most of these children can  be easily identified in many Internal Displaced Persons  (IDPs) Camps while some are walking on the streets. ” 

Another speaker at the occasion, The District Head of Dusuman Community  Alhaji  Abba Kyari who represented other communities in the state stressed  the need for  the government to prioritize  education of the  Street children. 

” If street children are left unattended, it may portend serious security problems to society in the future. ” Kyari said adding  that ” the communities noted the abysmal low enrollment of children in schools ”  

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, represented at the occasion by the Chief of Staff, Prof Isa Marte Hussaini  assured it will implement inputs made by stakeholders towards the preparation of the  2022 budget. 

The government also promised to prioritize the needs of the people , stating that education, health and job creation will be given top priority. 

” If you look at the budget of last year and the year before , you  will find out that Education and Health received the lion’s share.  I hope and pray the same thing will be applied for the 2022 budget .  

“Other critical areas are job creation and wealth creation, because if we have idle youth, youths that are not employed, they are panacea for destruction.  ” He said

Borno: Stakeholders advocate inclusion of underage in Budget 2022