By HUSSAINA YAKUBU

Kaduna ranked first in terms of financial management and transparency in public finance management, governance practices for three years running, the state Accountant-General, Shizzer Bada, has said.

Bada made this known at a town hall engagement with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)and people from across the 23 local government areas.

She said that the state was more open to information pertaining to policy based fiscal strategy and budgeting; management of assets and debts; budget credibility; control in budget execution; accounting and reporting and external audit and legislative scrutiny.

“This town hall will further give people who seek the state financial reports to see and to also have level of understanding and be able to access information on how the state resource are being utilise

“We came first in terms of transparency and accountability and also in terms of ease of doing business.

“The Gov. Nasir el-Rufai led-administration, which is a people focuses government, is ensuring the active participation of citizens.

“The government of el-Rufai on assumption of duty, came up with a strategy to ensure that the state benefits from democracy.

“Today the state has a plan until 2025. You all know that 2021 came with challenges coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic and the government had to navigate

“The state has done significantly well and emerged victorious in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2020 with over N50.7 billion,” she said.

Bada said the capital execution rate for the state in the year 2020 rose to 90 per cent

She noted that the state is rated fourth nationally in terms of IGR.

Bada reiterated the government’s commitment to continue to promote the growth and the development of the state.

Also speaking, Mr Yusuf Gaje, Leader of the Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace Empowerment andDevelopment (CALPED) while giving an overview on citizens accountability Reports and Opportunities for engagement, said the town hall will increase public awareness of the state plan for the citizens.

He noted that it will also seek citizens’ feedback and validation of the 2020 citizens accountability reports

“This will facilitate citizens to engage with their government for improved service delivery,” he said.

In his goodwill message, Mr Abel Adejoh, who is the representative of Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL), lauded the Kaduna state government for taking the step forward for the engagement

He said that CSOs have the obligation to support government to meet up to expectations while strengthening citizens on how to get “value for money”.

Adejoh said the organisation will continue to discharge its responsibility of promoting growth, reduce poverty and deliver services to the citizenry. (NAN)