Michael Olugbode in Damaturu
Yobe State Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, has assured that his administration would strengthen accountability and transparency in governance for effective service delivery and to get value for money.
The governor made the promise on Saturday while responding to the first position clinched by Yobe State in the 2023 subnational Audit Efficacy Index report on accountability and transparency in public funds.
He said: “The state government, through the Fiscal Responsibility Board, instituted reforms in public finance which have translated into worthy investments, accountability and transparency in government transactions.
“I am glad to say that our audit department and institutions like the Bureau for Public Procurement are independent and ensure transparency and accountability of government expenditure, which has placed the state above board.
“We will continue to strengthen these institutions to promote accountability and transparency in every expenditure of public funds,” Governor. Buni said.
Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (Plsi), an internationally recognized civil society group noted for tracking public accountability and transparency in the expenditure of public funds, scored Yobe and Ekiti states as the overall best among the 36 states in the country.
According to Plsi, critical factors including getting value for public funds, audit legal framework and operationalization, annual activity report, publication of annual audit report, and performances were considered in the assessment process.
Other critical components of the assessment include citizens’ account reports, civil societies and media participation reports, and monitoring and oversight functions of the legislative committee on public accounts.
Yobe State won the first position for the 2023 subnational Audit Efficacy Index report after winning the second position in 2022.
