By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
The Gombe State Government has announced plans to adopt Programme-Based Budgeting (PBB) starting in 2026, as part of efforts to improve transparency, accountability, and service delivery across government agencies.
This was revealed during a five-day technical workshop held in Gombe to develop the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Sector Strategies (MTSS). The workshop, organised in collaboration with UNICEF, aims to enhance budgeting practices and align them with the state’s long-term development agenda.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, the State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Salihu Baba Alkali, said the adoption of Programme-Based Budgeting would help align budgets with measurable outcomes, in line with the Gombe State Ten-Year Development Plan (DEVAGOM 2021–2030).
“This initiative seeks to promote better governance through transparency, accountability, and performance-based budgeting across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs),” the Commissioner said.
He expressed gratitude to UNICEF for its technical and financial support in organising the workshop, and commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for approving the MTSS process, which he described as a key step toward achieving the state’s development goals.
According to Alkali, “Starting in 2026, Gombe State plans to implement Programme-Based Budgeting to enhance service delivery by ensuring that budget allocations are directly tied to measurable outcomes and performance indicators.”
The workshop, which brought together key stakeholders and participants from various MDAs, focused on improving skills in project selection, planning, and data-driven decision-making—essential elements for maximizing the value of public spending.
The Commissioner emphasised that the MTSS is a vital framework for aligning sectoral strategies with the state’s development priorities under DEVAGOM 2021–2030, which aims to deliver inclusive and sustainable development across all sectors.
The collaboration with UNICEF, he noted, underscores international support for capacity building, policy formulation, and targeted interventions for vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.
Alkali encouraged participants to fully engage in the training, noting that the future success of Programme-Based Budgeting in Gombe State would depend on the commitment and expertise of public officials involved in the budgeting process.
