The Kaduna State House of Assembly, on Friday ,concluded the 2026 budget defence exercise for ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) where they presented their projections and justified their requests.

The chairman, House committee on appropriation and implementation, Shehu Yunusa-Pambeguwa, told journalists  that all the ministries, departments and agencies had appeared before relevant committees.

He said the defence exercise enabled committees to examine each MDA’s 2025 budget performance from January to November, allowing the legislators to understand achievements, challenges and unmet targets requiring attention in the new budget cycle.

According to him, reviewing the 2025 performance helped the lawmakers identify gaps affecting project implementation, making it easier for the committees to recommend necessary corrections that would strengthen the content of the 2026 budget.

He described the entire process as successful, stating that all the MDAs fully participated and defended their submissions, giving the lawmakers the clarity needed to prepare a comprehensive and realistic appropriation report.

Mr Yunusa- Pambeguwa said the 2026 budget emphasised continuity and inclusivity, ensuring development reaches both urban and rural communities, particularly areas requiring critical infrastructure like roads, hospitals, schools and other essential public facilities statewide.

He urged the Heads of the MDAs to ensure the full and efficient utilisation of their approved funds so residents across Kaduna State can feel the impact of government programmes, especially those living in rural communities.

He urged that MDAs must prioritise training and retraining of staff to strengthen capacity, adding that Kaduna state was  transitioning into a digital, smart-governance era that demands technologically competent and well-prepared civil servants.

He advised the MDAs to begin preparing capital projects’ documentation immediately after the governor signs the 2026 budget into law, so that implementation can commence early in the first quarter without administrative delays.

He said early implementation would help the state achieve 70 to 80 per cent budget performance by the third quarter.

(NAN)