The Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), a prominent civil society group, has criticized the Kwara State Government and the State House of Assembly for failing to make the proposed N644 billion 2026 Appropriation Bill accessible to the public.

In a statement signed by its Global Director, Olasupo Abideen, and shared on Wednesday in Ilorin, the group described the lack of proactive disclosure as a "major setback" for transparency and participatory governance. While Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq presented the budget tagged the "Budget of Consolidation and Sustained Growth" to the legislature in late December 2025, BBYDI laments that the full document remains hidden from citizens.

Abideen noted that for three consecutive years, civil society organizations have had to resort to formal letters and repeated emails to obtain the budget proposal. "A public budget is not a favour that should be granted upon request. It is the right of the people," the organization maintained.

The group expressed deep concern that the House of Assembly is proceeding with legislative action on the fiscal document without ensuring that residents can scrutinize the allocations. BBYDI warned that without public access, the risk of waste, duplication, and inefficient resource allocation increases. They called on the government to immediately publish the proposal on all official platforms to restore public trust and uphold its commitment to open governance.

It added that the continued failure to proactively publish the proposed budget raises serious questions about the government's commitment to transparency and accountability.

The group also faulted the Kwara State House of Assembly for allowing the budget process to progress without ensuring that the proposal is placed in the public domain.

"Lawmakers have a constitutional duty to promote openness and safeguard the interests of citizens.

"The absence of public access to the proposed budget before its passage undermines meaningful scrutiny and increases the risk of waste, duplication, and inefficient allocation of public funds," Abideen warned.

The organisation, therefore, called on the Kwara 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 the document is made fully accessible to the public.

BBYDI further encouraged residents of Kwara State, the media and development partners, to demand openness in the budgeting process, insisting that transparency is the foundation of accountable and people-centred governance.

The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to sustained advocacy, stating that it would continue to engage relevant stakeholders until transparency and fiscal responsibility become consistent practices in the state.

Arewa PUNCH reports that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Monday, December 22, 2025, presented a proposed budget of N644,004,816,893.00 to the Kwara State House of Assembly.

This fiscal plan, tagged the "Budget of Consolidation and Sustained Growth," allocates about 65.98 per cent to capital expenditure and 34.02 per cent to recurrent spending, with priorities including infrastructure completion, security enhancement, workers' welfare and social protection measures.