By Ismail Fagge
The Department for International Development (DFID) have commence partnership with Jigawa state on their new progranme on reforms and learning.
The DFID head of governance, Mr. Oliver Blind, stated this at the weekend when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar in his office in Dutse.
Blind explained that the programme was to support the state to utilise its resources for the provision of basic social amenities to the people in the state.
According to him, the programme will work with civil society organisations, stakeholders and state House of Assembly in the process of budget planning and implementation.
In his response, governor Abubaker said Jigawa state government decision to cut down cost of governance, was to enable government run the state without much hitches because of the present economic challenges in the country.
Abubaker explained that certain drastic measures were taken in view of the drop in revenue accrued from the federal allocation, to enable government carry out its function without seeking loans.
“We have to be realistic, we cannot run a government with deficit, we have to work with available funds, so we quickly cut unnecessary cost of governance and made adjustments to keep the state going”, he said.
The governor disclose that the state was also looking inwards to diversify the economy through investments in agriculture and mineral resources, adding that the state is endorse with mineral resources.
Commenting of the new programme of DFID in the state, he described it as timely, saying it is a welcome development, and assured that the state government will continue to sustain the good relationship with the organisation.