By Chinonso Alozie

OWERRI—THE Imo State House of Assembly, said it subscribed to open and participatory budget system in the state, adding that in the next budget preparation, the needs of the communities would be captured.

budget

Mr. Marcel Odunze, committee chairman on Budget and Appropriation,   confirmed this to Vanguard in Owerri, while welcoming a non governmental organisation, Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights, CCIDESSOR, led by Mr Chidi Igwe.

Odunze briefly said: “There should be an active participation of stakeholders from the rural communities where their needs will be prioritized and adequately captured in the next budget.

“We believe that with the support of the civil society organizations, a public hearing will be organized before the passage of 2018 budget.

“So, we want the communities to get involved in the process, as well as the civil society organizations, women groups, to continue to push forward for it.

“We will work with them in the open and participatory budget system that will benefit our communities and bring the needed development in our rural areas.”

Earlier in his remark, CCIDESSOR, Program Director, Igwe, said : “There is need for the budget office to develop means of integrating citizens’ inputs in the budget process, making the annual budget accessible as well as uploading the budget in the state website.”