Functions

The Budget and Economic Planning Directorate also performs key functions which includes;

• Serves as the Secretariat of the Economic Planning Board established Law No. 8 of 2016 which performs several functions including determining and recommending on the development policies of the state including coordinating the economic development activities of the Local Government Councils as provided in section 7(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999);
• Serves as the focal Agency for implementing the Fiscal Responsibility Reforms initiatives for which a law was passed in 2008;
• Serves as the Secretariat of the Committee on Food and Nutrition
• Serves as the Secretariat for Jigawa State Development Partners Forum;

Reform Initiatives / Memorandum of Understanding

In line with the reform agenda of the state as contained in the CDF, BEPD has, in collaboration with a number of Development Partners – particularly the DFID Funded SPARC Programme – pursued several reform largely in the area of Public Expenditure & Financial Management, Policy & Strategy and Public Service Management. Areas covered include:

The preparation and subsequent passage of two pieces legislations namely Jigawa State Economic Planning and Fiscal Responsibility Law and the State Due Process Law;

Public Expenditure and Financial Management Reforms including the successful implementation of an integrated financial management information system (IFMIS) which provides a computer automated platform for budget preparation (Budget and Planning Directorate) and budget execution (Treasury Department) with an interface for salary and pensions administration;

Reform in Policy and Strategy involving the introduction of medium term sectoral planning. Under this initiative, nine (9) sectors were supported by the Directorate to prepare medium term sector strategies (MTSS in 6 Sector – Education, Health and Water & Sanitation, Environment, Agriculture, Commerce,) and medium term expenditure plan (MTEP) in three sectors namely economic empowerment, women & social development, and critical infrastructure);

Participates in the corporate planning initiatives that seek to achieve a planned organizational change for better performance. In addition to working with the Public Service Reform Team under Office of the Head of Service, the Directorate is currently building the capacity of Sector Desk Officers identified as potential change agents in the reform process;

In the area of implementation of donor supported programmes, the Directorate has also effectively coordinated the conception and implementation of EU-supported Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Project (WSSSRP), Support to Reforming Institutions Programme, UNICEF Supported Programme and Water Aid Supported Water & Hygiene Development. Several Water and Sanitation projects were implemented under these initiatives largely in the selected focal LGAs. Like the CGS Projects, the Directorate is a co-signatory in the implementation of these projects. (implemented projects include over 400 hand pumps, about 20 solar schemes, several VIP Latrines and upgrading of small towns water schemes in about 20 communities;

In the implementation of some of the projects and programme supported by Development partners, MoUs were signed with the State Government including the following: