Yobe Wins World Bank Fiscal Transparency Award

Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, has assured that his administration would sustain the leadership position in due process, transparency and accountability in government transactions in Nigeria.

Buni stated this while responding to the Overall Top Performer Award on State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) given to the state.

The SFTAS, a World Bank programme, was presented to the state by the minister of finance, budget and national planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed.

Yobe State was presented with the top performer overall best state award among the 36 states of the federation at a dinner organised for the 36 state governors.

The state’s performance in All Disbursement Link Indicators made it the overall best state for the ‘TOP Performer Award.’

In a statement by the director general, media and press affairs, Mamman Mohammed, Governor Buni said his administration would continue to promote transparency and accountability in governance to ensure value for money on all expenditures.

“We are a state with low revenue and in dire need of infrastructure and services, we have to use our resources judiciously and transparently to achieve our set targets to improve the lives of our people,” Buni emphasised.

The governor commended the civil servants who believe and share the vision and mission of his administration.

“I want to specially appreciate our civil servants who are the implementors of government policies and programmes and for being on the same page with the government to achieve this great feat,” he added.

Finance minister Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, who spoke on behalf of the federal government applauded the state governments for their performance in the ongoing SFTAS programme and for producing positive results.

The federal government expressed delight that the $1.5 billion SFTAS programme supported by the World Bank has promoted institutionalisation of fiscal reforms in the states.

She said the federal government celebrates the success of the SFTAS programme and the presentation of the awards to best performing states to spur the states to do more.

Other Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) of the State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability programme include citizen-based budgets, timely preparation and publication of annual budgets and audited financial statements, as well as, adoption of the National Chart of Account.

Meanwhile, the director- general, Yobe State Bureau for Public Procurement, Alhaji Samaila Mai Adamu, has attributed the rating of the state as the Overall Best Top Performer state by SFTAS to the leadership role of Governor Mai Mala Buni on due process.

“Governor Buni has always insisted that every project executed by the state government must be checked by the Bureau to undergo due process for transparency and accountability.

“I am glad that the Bureau has been performing its functions and responsibilities without hindrance or interference from the executive,” he said.

Samaila said Yobe State also won the best state in Due Process, Accountability and Transparency award from the Association of Public Procurement Practitioners of Nigeria (APPPN).

“This SFTAS award is a confirmation of the APPPN award that Yobe State has now assumed a new leading status on accountability and transparency,” he said.