Polycarp Sola -Abakaliki
Civil society organizations on the platform of the Green the Red project have decried poor budget performance in the Ebonyi State health and education sector within the third quarter of the year 2024.
The focal person of the clusters, Mr. Oliver Chima Ajah, who gave the disclosure during a media briefing held on Monday in Abakaliki, the state capital, said government spending must be traceable to budget before it could be counted as performance for the state.
He pointed out that the Ebonyi state government has not fulfilled its obligation of allocating a 15% budget to the health sector, following the 2001 Abuja declaration, nor reached the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommendation for a 26% budget for education.
“Again, budget performances over the years are poor across social sectors, for instance in 2022, the Ministry of Health achieved only 0.2’% annual capital budget releases,
“EBSPHCDA and others had 0% capital budget performances in 2022. As of September 2024, the Ministry of Health has 5.6%, EBSHIA 8.8%, and EBSPHCDA others 0%.”This shows that none of the health sector MDAs had a pass mark, as cach MDAs are supposed to achieve at least 75% by the third quarter and 100% by December 2024.
“We recognize and commend the government for all ongoing projects; however, such Spending should be traceable to the budget before it can be counted as performance for the state.”Ajah explained
He maintained that since the current administration has prioritized education and health as first and second, respectively, in its people’s charter of needs mantra, it should be demonstrated through adequate funding.
Mr. Ajah called on the Ebonyi state government to prioritize items in the budget for all expenditures in the state and show commitment to support in achieving 70% budget release for social sectors by the end of 2024.
“All social sector-related expenditures should be drawn from the approved budget; they should make social sector budget releases an agenda of the State Executive Council meetings.
“Heads of MDAs to commit to writing fundable memos for consideration at Exco meetingsWe therefore call on the media to make personal commitment(s) to support achieving the Green-The-Red project objectives.
“Publicize and publish issues of poor social sector budget releases in both print and electronic media and join hands in advocating for budgetary releases in social sectors.” He stated.