Make Proposed 2026 Budget Accessible to Public, NGO Urges KWASG to Ensure State Assembly’s Compliance

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

A non-governmental organization (NGO) in Kwara State, the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) has sought the intervention of the state government over the purported failure of the state House of Assembly to make the proposed 2026 budget publicly accessible to residents of the state.

The organisation alleged such ugly development has remained a serious setback for transparency and participatory governance in the state.

A statement issued in Ilorin on Monday and signed by the group’s Global Director, Mr. Olasupo Abideen Opeyemi, said that, “Despite repeated commitments to open governance by the present administration, citizens are still being denied timely access to one of the most important public documents in the state”.

BBYDI acknowledged that since the inception of the current administration, the proposed budget has never eventually been freely released to the public.

However, the organisation noted with deep concern that for the past three years, civil society groups and citizens have had to engage, write formal letters, and send emails before the document is made available, a practice it described as unacceptable in a democratic system.

“A public budget is not a favour that should be granted upon request; it is the right of the people.

“The continued reluctance to proactively release the proposed budget raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability,” the statement said.

The organisation also faulted the Kwara State House of Assembly for allowing the budget process to proceed without ensuring that the proposal is placed in the public domain, stressing that lawmakers have a constitutional responsibility to promote openness and protect the interests of citizens.

BBYDI warned that without public access to the proposed budget before its passage, meaningful scrutiny is impossible, thereby increasing the risk of waste, duplication, and inefficient allocation of public resources.

The group therefore called on the state government to immediately publish the proposed 2026 budget on all official platforms.

It also urged the House of Assembly to suspend further legislative action on the budget until it is made fully accessible to the public.

BBYDI also encouraged residents of the state, the media, and development partners to demand openness in the budgeting process, insisting that a transparent budget is the foundation of accountable and people-centred governance.

The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to continue engaging and advocating until transparency and fiscal responsibility become a consistent and irreversible practice in the state.