As more Ministries, Departments and Agencies continue to appear before their various committees of the Kaduna State House of Assembly for budget defense exercise, the Judiciary Committee has scrutinized the 2026 Budget Proposals from Ministry of Justice, Courts and the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission.
Key observations during the exercise focused heavily on funding gaps, judicial reforms, staffing and election preparedness.
Presenting the proposal, the state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister James Kanyip highlighted the need to support the ongoing legal reforms, digitization of case management systems, and capacity-building for state counsel.
Speaking shortly after the exercise, the Secretary, Judicial Service Commission, Kaduna State, Murtala Salisu Halidu noted that the proposed allocation for courts would strengthen the prosecution of criminal cases and improve access to justice across the state.
In their contributions, members of the judiciary committee emphasized that improving court infrastructure is essential to restoring public trust in the justice system and directed the judiciary to clearly prioritise urgent projects and present a phased implementation plan.
Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Barrister Emmanuel Bako Kantiok urged the ministry to justify every budget line with measurable outcomes as Kaduna State braces for fiscal pressures in 2026.
Barrister Kantiok assured them that the Assembly would support critical reforms but warned that the state’s fiscal environment would require tighter prioritization in 2026.
Meanwhile, appearing last before the committee, the Chairman, Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission, Hajara Mohammed said the commission's budget will among other aspect focus on strengthening election logistics and upgrading voter education programmes.