A non-governmental organisation, Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI), has unveiled its annual Subnational Audit Efficacy (SAE) Index report, highlighting Ekiti and Yobe States as top performers in transparency and accountability.
The report showcased the challenges and recommendations to enhance public finance management in 36 States of the Federation.
The executive director of PLSI, Olusegun Elemo, revealed this during the presentation of the fourth annual report in Abuja on Thursday, saying Ekiti and Yobe States ranked top performers with both attaining a remarkable score of 73 per cent each, followed by Akwa Ibom and Katsina States, securing second and third positions with 60 per cent and 53 per cent scores, respectively.
Elemo said conversely, Sokoto, Taraba, and Ondo States scored 31 per cent each, placing them at the 15th spot, while Benue and Lagos States lagged behind, occupying the 35th and 36th positions with 10 per cent and 5 per cent scores, respectively.
He further said that the SAE Index 2023 again revealed that 34 States (except Anambra and Benue) have modern audit laws to guarantee the independence of audit institutions and strengthen public audit practices at the state level.
He lamented that the improvement witnessed in the policy landscape has not yielded much owing to the lack of effective implementation of enacted audit laws in various states, which continued to stand in the way of accountability and development.
Elemo emphasised that, “the Subnational Audit Efficacy Index, initiated in 2021, serves as an annual scorecard assessing the temperature of public finance management and policy implementation practices at the state level.
“We retained the same methodology deployed for the 2022 assessment and collected, analyzed, and validated data provided by Supreme Audit Institutions, Public Accounts Committees, Offices of Accountant-General, Civil Society, and Media Organizations in all 36 States of the Federation.”
Also speaking, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Bamidele Salam, stressed the urgent need to address systemic issues plaguing public finance management in Nigeria.
He stated that the legislative efforts, such as the passage of the Audit Bill, were crucial steps towards promoting transparency and combating corruption at both state and federal levels.
He said the report also outlined cross-cutting recommendations aimed at improving public finance management practices, including greater involvement of civic and media actors in the audit process, the establishment of effective Public Account Committees, and the production of standard performance audit reports on government programmes and projects.
Hon. Salam stated that the release of the SAE Index report served as a clarion call for concerted efforts to address the challenges hindering transparency and accountability across Nigeria’s States.
He further said legislative reforms, coupled with stakeholder collaboration, were essential to fostering a culture of accountability and ensuring the prudent management of public funds for the benefit of all citizens.
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