PERL Consultants and Reform Facilitators brainstorming on the best approach to practical sessions		Participants test-running the revised cash plan template at the session

To improve overall Budget execution, DFID’s Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn (PERL) provided technical support, through a consultant-led workshop, to review current challenges with cash management in the state, introduce and practically test-run the revised Cash Planning Management Template to ensure effective budget profiling and cash management.

The exercise held in Kano on the 17th and 18th July 2019 with active participation of Directors, Deputy Directors and other key responsible officers from the Ministry of Planning and Budget (MoPB) and Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoF).

The Director Planning MoPB testified to the reviewed template being more user-friendly. He further requested for a documented step-by-step guide to facilitate step-down trainings and to sustain the process. In his welcome remarks, the Reform Manager of PERL implored participants to pay attention to the discussions and practical sessions. He noted that acquiring knowledge is not a one-off, but to facilitate value addition to the State. He challenged the participants to willingly apply and champion learning from the session. He noted that participants should be able to utilize these learning to adequately support top officials in government and the House of Assembly with proper information to inform decision making.

The initiative to support Cash Planning management commenced in 2011 with the introduction of templates for cash planning by DFID-SPARC. In 2018, further support was initiated when the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development requested for technical guidance to review the current Cash Planning Management System to support the state’s plan for effective utilization of funds aimed at improving service delivery.