By Olukayode Idowu
Yobe state Governor, Mai Mala Buni has assured that his administration will sustain the leading position in accountability, transparency and Public Finance Auditing in the country.
Yobe was rated by the State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS), a World Bank assisted-programme, and the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative report on the performance of Nigerian states on Subnational Audit Efficacy index 2022 as the Second Best Performing state in Nigeria.
The report which assessed the operational level of transparency and accountability in management of public funds and implementation of public policies in the 36 states, scored Yobe state as the Second-Best Performing state.
Buni responding to the award, explained that his administration would continue to apply prudence in the use of public resources to ensure that there is value for money on all policies and programmes executed by the state government.
He said: “We are a state with little resources and emerging out of an over a decade security challenge that needs resources to rebuild the state and its people.
“There are competing demands amidst little resources to rebuild the state, therefore, there must be accountability to achieve our set goals”
“The prudence applied in the use of our resources has assisted our administration greatly to execute our legacy projects that were recently commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I am happy this report collaborates with the report by the State Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) a World Bank-assisted programme that rated Yobe state as the Overall Best Performing state in Nigeria in Accountability, Transparency and Good Governance” he said.
He added that: “The Public Procurement Association of Nigeria also rated our government as the best state in Transparency and Due Process in conducting government business in Nigeria, l am delighted our performances are being recognised by such reputable organizations.”
The Governor dedicated the awards to the people of the state “especially the civil servants who have been dedicated to our reform programmes in accountability, transparency and good governance.
He assured that: “We will not only sustain these achievements but we will build on them for Yobe state to remain Nigeria’s leading state in fiscal transparency, accountability and good governance.”
