Buni pledges to sustain fiscal transparency, due process in governance

Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe has promised to sustain transparency, due process and accountability in government transactions in the state.

Buni stated this while reacting to the “ overall top performer” award won by the state on fiscal transparency and accountability.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Director-General Press and Media Affairs, Alhaji Mamman Mohammed in Damaturu.

The award was presented to the state by the Minister of Finance, Budget and Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.

Buni said the presentation followed a recent landmark rating of Yobe by the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS), a World Bank group, at a dinner organised for the 36 Governors of the Federation.

“ This administration will continue to promote transparency and accountability in governance to have 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 said.

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

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

Speaking at the dinner, Ahmed applauded the state governments for their performance in the ongoing SFTAS programme and producing positive results.

She expressed delight that the $1.5 billion SFTAS programme supported by the World Bank had promoted institutionalisation of fiscal reforms in the states.

The minister said the programme was aimed to spur the states to do more in fiscal transparency and accountability.

Meanwhile, the Director- General, Yobe Bureau for Public Procurement, Alhaji Samaila Mai-Adamu, attributed the rating to Buni’s insistence on following due process.

“ Buni has always insists 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.

Mai-Adamu said Yobe 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” the Director-General said.