News Investigators/ A lecturer, Ahmed Sadeeq, has urged the Gombe State Government to adopt proactive mechanisms to enhance discipline and prudent management of the N535billion 2026 budget.
He said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe.
Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya recently presented a N535.69billion proposed 2026 Appropriation Bill to the state’s House of Assembly.
The budget consists of N164.25 billion recurrent expenditure and N371.44billion capital projects.
Mr Sadeeq, a lecturer at the Department of Procurement Management, Federal University of Kashere (FUK), Gombe, said that without strong financial discipline, the state might experience rising project costs, abandoned projects and wasteful spending.
Mr Sadeeq said the budget size required that government purchases and projects must strictly follow the approval.
He said that award of contract must be properly budgeted for, approved, and the funds available to prevent unpaid bills, financial problems, and unplanned spending.
The don underscored the importance of digital system applications to monitor spending and ensure funds are released only when necessary.
“These systems help to detect cost increases early and stop unauthorised contracts.
“Government agencies must prepare realistic yearly procurement plans that match their approved budgets.
“Releasing money to projects in line with monthly plans helps them move smoothly and ensures contractors are paid on time.
“It is also good to scrutinise contractors before giving them jobs, confirm the prices are fair, and ensure effective project monitoring; if these measures are not followed, big projects might cost high or poorly executed,” he said.
Mr Sadeeq also urged procurement officers to strictly adhere to professional ethics, keep proper record and report undue influences to the appropriate authorities.
He highlighted that strong budgetary control was key to ensuring that the state got real value from its budget to deliver meaningful development to the people.
“If Gombe is to achieve visible results from its N535billion budget, every stakeholder must commit to transparency, accountability, and strict financial discipline.
“Robust budgetary control is not optional; it’s the backbone of responsible governance.”
NAN