By: Mayen Etim
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – Jigawa, Kadna and Delta states have emerged first second and third respectively in the States Budget Transparency in the country.
This is contained in the 2018 report of the Nigerian States Budget Transparency Survey unveiled in Kaduna on Tuesday.
According to the report, Jigawa scored 87 points, Kaudna state 72 point, while Delta trailed behind with 64 points.
The report also indicated that Bauchi, Borno and Rivers states occupied the 33rd, 35th and 36th positions respectively in the survey ranking.
The survey was conducted by Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre, (CIRDODOC), Enugu, in partnership with Connecting Gender for Development (COGEN) and supported by UKaid and Department for International Development, (DFID).
The Executive Director, Aid Foundation, Mr. Emmanuel Bonet, who presented the report, explained that the survey focused on three key indicators.
He identified the indicators as: timely publication of budget information, public participation in the budget process; and sound and transparent procurement processes and systems as entrenched in the Open Governance Partnership, (OGP).
Bonet said that on timely availability of key budget documents, Delta an Jigawa states scored 84 points each, followed by Kaduna state with 75 points.
“On public participation index, Jigawa got 100 points followed by Lagos with 85 points and Anambra with 72 points while Delta and Kaduna got 56 points each.
“Lastly, on procurement processes, Lagos top with 100 points, Jigawa followed with 83 points, Kaduna was third with 82 points and Delta was 16 with 40 points.
“However, the overall ranking placed Jigawa on top, followed by Kaduna state and then Delta state, while Bauchi, Borno and Rivers states were the last three respectively,” he said.
The Chairman, COGEN Board Chair, Ms Sewuese Isaiah, said the survey was to instill the ethics and principles of transparency in the budgeting process across the 36 states of the federation.
Unveiling the Survey Report, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwa, congratulated Jigawa State Government for clinching the top spot in the 2018 States Budget Transparency Index.
According to him, it is inspiring to see a sister state from the zone making visionary strides towards open governance.
Aruwan said Kaduna State Government under the leadership of Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been to meet the needs of citizens and for citizens to have open access to budget information in a format that is accessible and easy to understand.
He reiterated the state’s efforts to ensure effective and transparent management of public resources for improved public service.
Also speaking, the State Team Lead, DFID-Funded Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn, (PERL) described citizens’ engagement, transparency and accountability as “crucial” in ensuring good governance.
He said that DFID provided technical support during the conduct of the survey, adding that it would continue to support to strengthen it systems with a view to providing quality services to the people.