NAN-HE-22
Implementation
By Cecilia Ologunagba
Abuja, Nov. 22, 2017 (NAN) The Governor of Jigawa, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar has pledged speedy implementation of the State and Local Governance Reform Project (SLOGOR) in the state.
The SLOGOR Project is a European Union funded initiative managed by the World Bank in six states, comprising Anambra, Cross River, Jigawa, Osun, Kano and Yobe.
It is aimed at improving transparency, accountability and quality of public finance and human resource management systems to strengthen governance in the participating states.
Abubakar gave the assurance in a statement signed by Mr Ebenezer Ajewole, the National Communications Officer, SLOGOR on Wednesday in Abuja.
The governor said this when a team from the World Bank, accompanied by members of staff, Ministry of Budget and National Planning paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Dutse.
Mr Ikechukwu Nweje, Team Task Leader of the Project led the team on the visit.
Abubakar said that the state was at the verge of passing the State Audit Law.
He said the state was also making progress in the establishment of the Audit Cadre in order to achieve the transparency and accountability goal of the project.
The governor assured that funds meant for the project would be judiciously utilised to achieve the objectives of the project.
Earlier, Nweje told the governor that the team was in Jigawa to assess the level of progress made in implementation of the project to enable the team improve on performance.
The official said slow pace of implementation of activities would result in low disbursement, adding that there was the need to strengthen the Board of Internal Revenue.
He said there was also the need to enact the state Audit Law and also strengthen the Public Procurement Law, adding that these were areas that required urgent attention in the state.
The official urged the state to take advantage of the extension provided by the project to accelerate action on implementation of the project to achieve its objectives in the state. (NAN)
CIA/IFY/EEE
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Edited by Ify Omowole/Ese E. Ekama