Ganduje Lauds Buhari for Enhanced Fiscal Transparency, Accountability in States

Ndubuisi Francis

The Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has applauded the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for its intervention through the States Fiscal Transparency Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme.

SFTAS is a World Bank-assisted programme designed to deepen transparency, accountability and sustainability at the state level.

Ganduje, who was represented by the Director, PRS in the State Ministry of Finance, Salisu Lawal Indabawa, gave the commendation in Kano, while declaring open a workshop on fiscal sustainability organised by the SFTAS Programme Coordination Unit, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

In a statement, the SFTAS Programme Communication Specialist, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, quoted Ganduje to have said the workshop which was meant to explore ways of ensuring the sustainability of the programme ideals at all levels of government, drew participants from the 36 states of the federation and Abuja

The governor noted that the $1.5 billion World Bank-assisted programme had contributed in no small measure in bailing out most states of the federation from financial distress, especially during the period of economic recession and the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

He said:

“It is gratifying to note that today, most States of the Federation, Kano State inclusive have fully mainstreamed and institutionalized SFTAS ideals in their public financial management system through the widespread adoption of good practices in fiscal and public financial management and strengthened fiscal transparency by improving overall budget transparency and accountability to help build trust in government,” he said.

He stressed that the wholesale adoption of the SFTAS programme by the 36 states of the federation had translated into increasing efficiency of public expenditure; strengthened fiscal sustainability through increased efficiency in spending, strengthened revenue mobilisation and debt sustainability to prevent fiscal crises in the future.

According to  Ganduje, today most of the states have put in place  improved procurement practices to enhance value for money and reduce opportunities for corruption and misuse of public resources; automated internally generated revenue (IGR) collection systems so as to increase revenue inflows to the state consolidated revenue account; regular submission of comprehensive quarterly debt reports to the Debt Management Office (DMO) on debt stock and debt servicing; passed public debt management laws and fiscal responsibility legislation, which mirrors the federal government’s Fiscal Responsibility Act and established fiscal and debt rules as well as limits and responsibilities for contracting states debt with functional state debt departments

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Chairman, SFTAS National Steering Committee and Permanent Secretary Finance, Federal Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning Mr. Aliyu Ahmed, explained that the workshop was part of the programme sustainability plan meant to fashion out strategies by Stakeholders for the sustainability of SFTAS ideals already mainstreamed by governments at sub-national level.

The Chairman, SFTAS National Steering Committee who spoke through SFTAS National Programme Coordinator, and Director Home Finance in the ministry,

Mr. Stephen Okon, explained that the programme now in its fourth and final year of implementation had recorded huge success in instilling a common set of fiscal behaviour and standards in the States.

He, therefore, urged state governments to continue to uphold the ideals of the programme for the betterment of the citizens and the society at large.