Daily Trust Foundation Chairman Stresses Need For Budget Tracking For National Development
Chairman, Daily Trust Foundation, Alhaji Bilya Bala has charged journalists on the need to be well informed on Budget tracking and investigation for transparency and accountability in governance for national development.
He gave the charge while declaring open a 3-day training on “Budget Tracking And Investigation Training” organised for journalists drawn across South West by Daily Trust Foundation in collaboration with MacArthur Foundation at Akure, Ondo State capital.
While urging participants to make the best use of the opportunity provided by the training, he laid emphasis on the need for journalists to be verse in budget tracking and have capacity to investigate budget implementation.
On the activities of Daily Trust Foundation, Bala said the Foundation has the policy of giving back to the society in diverse ways which includes the ongoing training for men of pen profession.
While commending MacArthur Foundation for collaborating with Daily Trust Foundation, he noted that the Foundation is also rooted in taking care of the needy.
According to Chairman, MacArthur Foundation engages in provision of scholarship to students in various fields of academic, provision of boreholes for communities, provision of health facilities, training of journalists inform of capacity training among numerous others.
Speaking on importance of Budget, Bala noted that only the Constitution can be said to be more important than Budget adding that when we have challatants in the custody of budget formulation and implementation, that state won’t go anywhere.
Also in his goodwill message, Ondo State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan who commended Daily Trust Foundation and MacArthur Foundation for organising the training programme noted that the bane of economic viability is underdevelopment of public spending.
He laid emphasis on the need for journalists to be on their toes in ensuring that budget are accounted for by stakeholders.
Igbasan assured participants of conducive environment during their stay in Ondo State.
