The Senate Committee on States and Local Governments, chaired by Senator Binos Dauda Yaroe (representing Adamawa South Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly), has successfully concluded its budget defense sessions for the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) under its supervisory oversight.
This exercise is a key component of the National Assembly’s annual appropriation process and the committee’s constitutional oversight responsibilities. It allows the committee to scrutinize the proposed budgets, assess the performance of previous allocations, question spending justifications, evaluate project implementation, and ensure alignment with national priorities. By grilling MDA heads on efficiency, expected outcomes, challenges, and value-for-money, the committee helps prevent waste, plug leakages, and promote accountability in public fund utilization.
Under Senator Yaroe’s leadership, the committee places strong emphasis on core thematic areas that directly impact grassroots development:
Strengthening local governance Enhancing the autonomy, capacity, and effectiveness of local government councils as the third tier of government, including pushing for reforms that enable them to function more independently and responsively.
Fiscal decentralization Advocating for reforms that devolve more fiscal powers and resources to states and local governments, such as through improved revenue-sharing formulas, greater internally generated revenue opportunities, and implementation of recent legislative changes (e.g., aspects of the Nigerian Tax Act reforms discussed in related committee summits).
Improving public service delivery Focusing on how allocated funds translate into tangible benefits for citizens, including better infrastructure, healthcare, education, water access, and other essential services at the local level.
These priorities reflect Senator Yaroe’s broader legislative track record, which includes active involvement in oversight visits (e.g., to agencies like the National Boundary Commission and Border Communities Development Agency), hosting national summits on local governance challenges (such as the December 2025 event on fiscal federalism and local autonomy), and sponsoring bills related to local government matters.
The conclusion of these budget defenses comes amid the ongoing 2026 Appropriation Bill process across Senate committees. It underscores the Senate’s commitment to rigorous scrutiny of public spending, especially as Nigeria navigates fiscal constraints, the need for measurable impacts from budgets, and calls for reduced reliance on wasteful expenditures. This step helps pave the way for the full National Assembly to finalize and pass the budget, ensuring resources are directed toward high-priority areas that foster equitable development and stronger sub-national governance.
