JIGAWA ASSEMBLY IDENTIFIES GAPS IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SPENDING
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
The Jigawa State House of Assembly has adopted the report of its Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which revealed gaps in the management of state and local government spending between 2019 and 2024.
The adoption took place during a plenary session presided over by Speaker Rt. Hon. Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin.
The PAC chairman and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Sani Isyaku Abubakar, presented the findings in accordance with Sections 125 and 128 of the 1999 Constitution.
He said the committee’s review of reports from the State Auditor-General and the Auditor-General for Local Governments uncovered several irregularities in public spending over the five-year period.
According to him, the findings included alleged overpayments, unaccounted expenditures, breaches of procurement regulations, poor record-keeping, as well as fictitious and unauthorised payments.
The report also pointed to inadequate storage facilities for official documents and insufficient training for some public finance officers, particularly at the local government level.
To address these issues, the committee recommended the recovery of diverted and unaccounted funds through due process, with such monies returned to the public treasury. It also called for appropriate sanctions and disciplinary action against anyone found culpable.
In addition, the PAC recommended regular training and capacity-building for accounting staff, especially in local councils, as well as the provision of fireproof storage facilities to improve record management.
It further proposed incentives for workers who demonstrate professionalism and adherence to sound accounting practices, in order to strengthen transparency and accountability in public finance management.
Following extensive deliberations, the lawmakers unanimously approved the report.
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