By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
A Two-day Technical Session On Strengthening Social Accountability Through Performance Audit In Kaduna State has began in Zaria.
The session, which is organised by the Partnership to Engage, Reform & Learn (PERL-ECP), which is supporting CS-Legislature Engagement & Accountability Platform (CLEAP) to facilitate the two-day multi-stakeholders’ technical session to brainstorm and develop a community engagement framework for the performance audit process towards effective social accountability.
Speaking in a welcome address, PERL Kaduna Team Lead, Mr. Abel Adejor said that this is part of next steps from an earlier Technical Session on Strengthening Citizen’s Participation in the Audit Process with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Office of the Auditor-Generals of the state and LGAs.
“The session has the objectives to: increase the understanding of participants on social accountability and performance audit; facilitate the co-creation of performance audit community engagement framework for improved social accountability in service delivery; and agree on next steps towards increasing citizens’ participation in the performance audit process,” he said.
He explained that the presence of past and present legislators of Kaduna Assembly is geared towards synergy to ensure services are delivered at the community level.
“It is important that partnership is key in delivering services to the people,” he added.
Mr. Adejor noted that since 2015, over 50 per cent of citizens input has made its way into the budget, an indicator that tremendous progress is being made, which is a departure from the past.
A member of the Kadunà State House of Assembly, Honourable Nuhu Yusuf in his goodwill message, said that the workshop is timely.
“I want to believe that coming here to meet experts, I will be the luckiest to gather all the knowledge required to run the PAC Office.
“For all that are here, let’s interact and exchange ideas in order to enhance good governance. It will lead to achievements to the state so that value can be added to governance.
Chairman Budget Appropriation Sub Committee, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Honourable Peter Agite in his remarks, said that he was a local government chairman, now a legislator and is happy to be at the workshop to learn.
He said that the rural development drive of the present Kaduna State government, is a welcome development as it would stimulate the economies in the rural areas.
Another member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Honourable Mohammed Bello said that as a member of the appropriation committee, he is at the workshop to learn and take was what learnt to the others at committee.
Abdulsalam Mohammed, representative of Auditor General of Kaduna State said that he looks forward to witnessing fruitful discussions at the two-day session.
Also present at the session, were former members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Nuhu Goro Shadalafiya, Rt. Honourable Tanko Ubankato and Honourable Suleiman Dabo, who shared their experiences , on the role of legislative arm in horizontal accountability and quality service delivery.
The two-day session had September 10, 2023 as its arrival date, while departure is September 13. The main activity holds on : September, 11 and 12.
