Lukman Abdulmalik
The Rule of Law and Anti-corruption Program (RoLAC II) funded by the European Union and implemented by IDEA, has convened a one-day stakeholders’ meeting in Kano to review and validate simplified versions of the state’s key Public Financial Management (PFM) laws.
The meeting brought together representatives of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), civil society groups, religious and traditional leaders, as well as the media.
In their joint message, RoLAC II and PACE commended efforts to make the laws accessible to citizens, noting that they form the foundation of sound financial governance.
These include the Kano State Public Financial Management Law (2020), the Audit Commission Law (2021), the Debt Management Office Law (2021), the Public Procurement Law (2022), and the Revenue Administration Law (2022, as amended).
Delivering a welcome address on behalf of the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Dr. Ismail Aliyu Danmaraya, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Sabino Shuaibu Muhammed, said the validation exercise was vital for transparency, accountability, and value-for-money governance.
He praised RoLAC’s support in simplifying the complex but critical laws into tools that could be easily understood by civil society organizations, the media, and the public.
He further disclosed that the state’s Financial Instructions (FI) and Stores Regulations (SR) have also been reviewed and will soon be made publicly accessible, including via the Ministry of Finance website.
Permanent Secretaries and Directors of relevant MDAs made inputs and observations that are expected to be included in the final draft of the validated laws.
Consultant to RoLAC, Dr. Abdusalam Muhammed Kani, explained that his mandate was to study the laws, produce simplified versions, and outline the roles of stakeholders in ensuring compliance.
He emphasized that the validation meeting was an attempt to foster ownership of the reforms.
The event featured a detailed review of the simplified laws by representatives of different MDAs, reinforcing Kano State’s commitment to openness, inclusiveness, and people-centered reforms.
