N13.6b windfall: Gov. Sule charges NG-CARES team on transparency, accountability

Following the funds accruing to Nasarawa State from the NG-CARES programme, Governor Abdullahi Sule has charged members of the NG-CARES steering committee, state coordinator of the programme, and staff of the organization to utilize the funds judiciously, transparently and to be accountable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Governor Sule laid the charge when the Chairman of the Steering Committee, state NG-CARES Coordinator and members of staff of the organization, presented two awards won by the state recently, at the Government House, on Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The governor equally joined the members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, as well as members of the state executive council on ensuring that the N13.6bn is judiciously utilised to positively impact on the lived of the people.

 

 

 

 

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According to him, his administration is more interested in making the necessary impact and that after getting the money, the lives of the people are changing for the better.

 

 

 

 

 

“Leadership is not about waiting for money to come from Federal Government to share. You must constantly think about how to make progress.

 

 

 

 

“Don’t think that you have been announcing you made N13 billion, not everybody is happy even within the state that you made N13 billion. What you must do is to be able to be so transparent, to be able to be accountable, to be able to show where the N13 billion has gone,” he stated.

 

 

 

 

 

Governor Sule emphasized that he is holding not only the NG-CARES team responsible for the judicious utilization of the funds but also members of the state assembly and the state Executive Council.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He warmed that the funds must not be used to pay for promotion of staff, allowances or even duty travel allowances but must be utilized to built roads, schools and hospitals that would directly impact the lives of the people.

 

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Governor Sule said even though Nasarawa State emerged best across the country and best in the North Central zone, it’s far more difficult to sustain that position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this regards, he said the only option left is for the NG-CARES to be accountable and to be able to show how the 13.6bn was utilised.

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s more difficult to sustain than to win number one. The efforts that we put into becoming number one, we have to put in double that efforts to retain our position.

 

 

 

 

 

“At the end of it, one of the things that is going to give us number one again is for us to be the first state that would be able to compile everything we have done. This road we have finished it. It costs us N3 million. This road we have finished it, it costs us N20 million. This borehole we have constructed it cost us N30 million. Once we do that, we compile that-that is what is called accountability.

 

 

 

 

“Before the Federal Government and World Bank ask us, we submit to them saying this is how we utilized the money. It would give you another edge,” the governor said.

 

 

 

 

 

He particularly commended NG-CARES for undertaking the construction of the Burumburum road which was first built during the 70s, the construction of the Laminga Primary, provision of boreholes to some communities, as well as the conditional cash transfer where vulnerable widows receive ten thousand as stipends.

 

 

 

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“Those are the kinds of stories, not necessarily on the road where I can see but on the roads where I cannot see. Do something better on those areas where I don’t even have the opportunity to see, so that somebody else will see it and come and tell us that NG-CARES has done a fantastic job in these areas,” he advised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He reiterated that his administration is working hard because Nasarawa State is not presently financially rich, even though the state is blessed with material and natural resources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Governor Sule however assured that his administration is taking measures to ensure that Nasarawa State progresses.

 

 

 

 

 

“When you look at the FAAC allocation, we are one of the bottom five. We used to be among the lowest two before. When you talk of IGR, we used to be among the least five states in the country, but today, we are among the best 16. Those are the kinds of efforts you put in to get there,” he added.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In her opening remarks, Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning, Hon. Munirat Abdullahi, who doubles as the Chairman, NG-CARES Steering Committee in the state, said they were at the Government House to present the two awards won by the state under the NG-CARES programme which is being funded by the Federal Government and the World Bank.

 

 

 

 

 

The steering committee chairman announced that Nasarawa State got two awards in the programme, being the best, top performing state in the whole country and the FCT, as well as being the best performing state in the region, that is the North Central zone.

 

 

 

 

 

“Nasarawa State not only came first but got a disbursement of N13.6bn, which makes about 10 percent of the entire disbursements that went across the country. This is credibly an achievement. It is an achievement worthy of note.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Nasarawa State struggled from the beginning but with the tenacity, leadership and focus of His Excellency, we became as committed as him as a team to ensure that we get to the top in this programme. That is what has brought us here today to celebrate this excellence, this commitment and tenacity,” she added.

 

 

 

 

 

Hajiya Munirat explained that under the NG-CARES programme, N750bn has been set aside in order to give the poor and vulnerable across the country inclusion in government activities.

 

 

 

 

 

“This is a delivery to the poor, because this is a pro-poor programme. It is a programme that is focused on ensuring that the marginalized population in our society gets inclusion,” she said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier, in his remarks, NG-CARES State Coordinator, Dahiru Umar, attributed the success of the organization to the leadership and prudent stewardship of Governor Sule.

 

 

 

 

 

Umar appreciated the political will demonstrated by the Governor for the programne to succeed in the state.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He said that explained why during the last exercise, NG-CARES in Nasarawa State earmarked 271 rural roads for construction which he said surpassed the 15km per local government benchmark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He pointed out that the rural roads being considered by the NG-CARES include the 21km Burumburum road that was built since in the 70s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We are all doing this because we know your mantra. We know how you want us to work and we know you provided the enabling environment. There was no reason for us not to work. We will do more and more,” Umar assured.