Transparency, accountability watchwords of Governor Bello’s administration

The Kogi state commissioner for Finance, budget and economic planning, Ashiwaju Idris Ashiru have revealed that the administration of Yahaya Bello in the last seven years made transparency and fiscal responsibility a watchword.

He made this known on saturday while delivering a paper at the 3rd Annual GYB seminal for Nigeria’s Political and Crime correspondence/editors holding at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

Mr. Ashiru explained that the state under the leadership of governor Bello have made issues of transparency and accountability a priority and such disposition have helped to entrench good governance as the government have been able to grossly reduce its debt burden.

Outlining some of the government’s policies implemented in a bid to reduce the state’s debt rating which includes the establishment of Treasury Single Account (TSA), Offset of State’s most expensive Loan, Reduction of Expenditure, creating a proper budgetary procedure, implementation of a good debt management strategy and debt consolidation or debt buy back program, the commissioner added that the state government has overtime received commendations over it’s fiscal responsibility and openness.

He said the state amongst several other rewards received the sum of $6 Million from the SFTAS on Debt reporting, improved debt sustainability and arrears of clearance framework while alluding the State is doing a lot to grow the economy and improve its capacity to pay its debts including efforts in encouraging foreign direct investment, establishment of skills development/building of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, Increased investment in infrastructure: like roads and health, Improved security system, establishment of Kogi State Fiscal Responsibility Commission to promote a planned and balanced economic development amongst others.

He said the state procurement process has also been reformed in line with best practices with the establishment of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) and other related structures. He added that the government have also revised Procurement Law (2020) while it has also developed and put to use, procurement guidelines on goods, works and services with documents publicly available on the State website.

According to him, Kogi State Government commenced the preparation of the 32 years Development Plan noting that the State Development Plan (SDP) is a perspective document that is critical to the realization of governor Bello’s vision of all round development of the state.

He said the document mirror’s the state on a long-term basis, from where the medium and the short-term initiatives, such as the New Direction Blueprint, Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Medium Term Sector Strategies (MTSS) and the Annual Budget are derived.

The Commissioner said the State Development Plan when completed would be a focal document, for development partners’ interventions, given its inclusive preparation process and depth of information and data.

He urged Kogi State citizens to continue to support the policies and programs of the governor and to ensure sustainance and improve on these gains, the citizen must support the candidate of the All-Progressive Congress (APC), Ododo Ahmed Usman (OAU) for a guaranteed and assured future.