USAID State2State partners Kebbi govt to develop MTSS for health sector

The USAID State Accountability,  Transparency, and  Effectiveness (State2State) Activity, in collaboration with the Kebbi State government in the development of Medium Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) to develop the health sector in the state.

This was the major part of discussion as State2State organized a three-day workshop for staff and management of health sector in the state at Dankani Guest Palace Hotel, Sokoto, between Monday, August 5, and Wednesday, August 7th, 2024.

Speaking in his remarks, the state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Abba Sani Kalgo, assured that the state government under the leadership of the Dr Nasir Idris

He said the workshop is a very important intervention which assured will strengthen the public financial management process of the state which he described as one of the key and cardinal points of the current administration.

“We are trying to revamp and overhaul the public financial management sector and this is the kind of workshop will help us to achieve that quickly”

He however called on the participants to ensure full participation to bring back their acquired experience to develop the state.

Kalgo further commends State2State for partnering with the state government while assuring that the state will continue to improve its relationship for the benefit of the state.

Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Health, Comrade Yunusa Isah Ismaeel, commends State2State for coming into the state and implementing a lot of developmental agenda for the state.

He said the workshop will contribute to making a difference in the state budget design and subsequently, to have budget release in the implementation of such projects.

He assured that his ministry will collaborate with the budget and economic ministry to fastrack the developmental agenda of current administration.

Speaking earlier in his opening remarks, the Team Lead, USAID State2State in Kebbi State, Usman Faleye, said the team is supporting the state to develop the Medium Term Sector Strategy for the health sector in the state.

He said the MTSS will help the state to identify key programmes and will help to call for such programmes in the next three years.

He said the workshop will also help the states on how to link fiscal planning with some of the health sector key areas that they are looking forward to which are being established for 2025, 2026, and 2027.

He said one of the major aims of the programme is to ensure that more allocation of at least fifteen percent of the state budget is earmarked for the health sector for the benefit of the citizens.

“We want to be sure that this allocation is made for the right places, just to be able to support and identify the activities that will help change the health indices in the state.

“We are already working closely with all of the ministry, department and agencies in the health sector, so that priorities issues that bother on their offices and be able to direct resources”.

Participants in the three days workshop include all the Sector Planning team from across the ministries, departments, and agencies within the health sector

Others include representatives of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, State House of Assembly amongst others.