The Benue State Budget and Economic Planning Commission (BSBEPC) has commenced the consultative process for the preparation of the 2027 budget, with a call on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure transparency, accountability and proper alignment of their budget proposals with the development priorities of the state.

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of BSBEPC, Professor Jerome Andohol, made the call during the 2027 pre-budget meeting held at the Conference Hall of the Bureau for Entrepreneurship Development and Wealth Creation.

Professor Andohol urged MDAs to ensure proper documentation and reporting of all grants, donations and other forms of assistance received from development partners, stressing that such resources must be captured in their budget estimates as government inflows.

He explained that even donations in kind, including books and other materials, should be valued at prevailing market prices and recorded as revenue, with corresponding entries reflected under expenditure.

He warned that failure to report such resources could negatively affect budget performance and deprive the state of opportunities to attract additional funding from development partners.

On budget ceilings, the Director-General explained that the expenditure limits communicated to MDAs were based on previous budget performance, revenue projections and prevailing economic realities, including inflation and exchange rate fluctuations.

He disclosed that the Commission was working with the Ministry of Finance to develop a revenue template that would provide a reliable basis for determining the state's revenue expectations and adjusting budget ceilings where necessary.

He, however, assured MDAs that genuine cases of inadequate ceilings, particularly those affecting personnel costs, pensions, allowances and overheads, would be considered where convincing justifications were presented.

Professor Andohol further charged MDAs to ensure that proposed capital projects aligned with the development priorities and policy direction of Governor Hyacinth Alia's administration.

He emphasised that the quality and impact of capital projects were more important than their number, urging agencies to prioritise projects capable of delivering meaningful development outcomes.

The BSBEPC boss also stressed the need for annual budgets to be linked to the Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS), disclosing that the Commission had developed strategies for four sectors: Health, Education, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Social Protection.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Director of Planning, BSBEPC, Mr. Orinya Ogenyi, described the meeting as the official commencement of preparations for the 2027 Benue State budget in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Law and directives of Governor Hyacinth Iormen Alia.

Mr. Ogenyi explained that the 2027 budget was coming at a time when the present administration was consolidating on its achievements in infrastructure, agriculture and food security, human capital development and social protection.

He said the Commission's responsibility was to ensure that the budget remained people-centred, realistic, implementable and aligned with the Benue State Development Plan, the National Development Plan and the Food Systems Transformation Pathway.

He identified linking plans to budgets, strengthening revenue sustainability and prioritising social and economic sectors as major considerations in the 2027 budget preparation.

According to him, every MDA must ensure that its budget submission was linked to the State Development Plan and sectoral priorities, with clear targets and measurable performance indicators.

He also called for improved internally generated revenue, the blocking of revenue leakages and prudent expenditure on programmes capable of delivering meaningful results.

Mr. Ogenyi identified agricultural value chains, education, health, youth and women empowerment, and social protection financing as priority areas for the 2027 fiscal year.

He urged accounting officers, directors of planning, research and statistics, and budget officers to actively participate in the process, describing the exercise as not merely a budget defence session but a planning process for achieving development results.

He added that the Commission was working with the Ministry of Finance, Benue State House of Assembly and development partners to ensure timely passage and effective implementation of the budget.

In their respective technical presentations; Dr. Ezekiel Sevav, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics (DPRS) BIRS; discussed strategies for addressing reporting gaps among MDAs, emphasising the need for accurate and timely submission of budget information.

Mr. Daniel Ogah highlighted issues relating to the budget template and capital receipts, explaining important requirements for proper budget preparation and documentation.

Similarly, Mr. Agbo Dominic Ola presented on the challenges associated with budget implementation reporting, while the Director of Budget, Mr. Terlumun Asaa, addressed issues and challenges in budget management.

The presentations provided participants with an opportunity to understand the requirements of the 2027 budget preparation process and the need for improved reporting, monitoring and implementation across government agencies.

The interactive session featured contributions and questions from participants, including Mr. Benjamin B. Iortyer, Director, Office of the Benue State Auditor-General; Mr. Wende T. Emmanuel Das of the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Creativity; and Mr. Moses Abahwange of the Civil Service Commission.

The participants sought clarifications on budget preparation procedures, existing laws guiding revenue collection and other issues relating to effective budget management.

Mr. Benjamin Amasti, who was covering the duties of the Director at the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, also raised concerns about the poor condition of the meeting venue.

In his closing remarks, the Director of Budget, Mr. Terlumun Asaa, appreciated the participants for making out time to attend the meeting and contribute to the discussions.

He encouraged them to put the knowledge acquired into practice and ensure that the guidelines provided were reflected in their respective MDAs' budget submissions.

The meeting formed part of BSBEPC's efforts to ensure a participatory, transparent and result-oriented process towards the preparation and implementation of the 2027 Benue State budget.