Isiyaku Ahmed
On Thursday, the Office of the Auditor General of Kano State held its 2023 Annual Audit Forum at Ni’ima Guest Place.
The audit forum is a reform intended to strengthen transparency and accountability in public financial management, and significantly reduce the opportunities for corruption and abuse of Public Resources, thereby increasing the efficiency of Public Expenditures.
This is in line with global community best practices for transparency and accountability in the management of public resources and the present administration’s effort to sustain effective and efficient service delivery in the state.
In his welcome address, the state Auditor General (AuG), Isma’ila Musa, said: “Sections 125(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and 36(i) of the Kano State Audit Law, 2021 (as amended) mandated the Office of the Auditor General to audit the accounts and financial statements of the State Government and all Offices and Courts.
“Compliment to this provisions I have audited the Accounts and submitted to the Hon. State Assembly my 2023 annual participants to the presentation of the highlights of the annual report for report within the stipulated.”
He noted that strengthened fiscal transparency will help build trust in governance.
The AuG thanked Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for approving the needed support for the event.
According to him, the support for the 8th Annual Audit Forum demonstrated the Governor’s effort toward sustained effective and efficient service delivery in Kano State.
The Chairman of the Kano State House of Assembly House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Tukur Mohammad Fagge, commended the AuG for his untiring efforts in conducting a thorough audit of the state’s financial activities.
“The commitment to transparency, accountability, and public service embedded in his work deserves our recognition, he added.
“The annual audit is not merely an exercise in numbers and compliance.
“It is a pivotal process that underpins our democracy and reinforces the trust that the public places in us as stewards of the resources.
“The review of the Auditor General’s report reminds us of our collective responsibility to ensure that public funds are managed with integrity, prudence, and effectiveness.
“For us at the Public Accounts Committee, and by extension, the 10th Kano State House of Assembly, we are committed to continue to support this exercise as representatives of the people.”
Auwalu Hamza is the State Team Leader at the Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE).
PACE is a program funded by UK International Development. It aims to support coalitions to influence the government to resolve Nigeria’s climate and governance problems that affect the poorest and most vulnerable and hold them accountable for the country’s climate change objectives.
Hamza called on civil servants to embrace personal development.
He said: “The civil service will benefit more if civil servants deliberately improve themselves – personal improvement does not depend on government and the steps can be simple.
“Civil servants can begin by organizing the day activities and register to courses that will improve their skills.”
According to him, personal development should help improve positive attitudes, instead of lamentations.
The Deputy Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, Hon. Mohammed Bello Butu-Butu, represented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Tukur Mohammad Fagge, declares the forum opened.
Ali Musa Chiranci, the Director of Projects Management Audit at the AuG’s Office, highlighted the State Auditor General’s Report for the financial year 2023.
The Principal Auditor, Kabiru Sallau, presented the Citizen Accountability Report.
Akibu Hamisu is a civil society advocate and thematic lead of fiscal Transparency of the Kano State Open Government Partnership (OGP).
He said: “Based on the presentations, it indicates that government parastatals and owned enterprises are not accountable as they refused to present their financial account for review as requested by the Auditor General.
“Concerning queries, in 2023 N16.2bn worth of projects and release funds were nowhere to be found, and in 2023, the amount has increased to N26.9bn which indicates serious violation, corruption, and mismanagement of public funds.”
Hamisu called on the State House Committee on Public Accounts to interrogate the concerns of the Auditor General’s Report, especially, the queries issued.
He then thanked the Office of the AuG for the annual audit forum.
