The Jigawa State House of Assembly has formally adopted the report of its Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which uncovered significant gaps in the management of public funds across state and local government levels between 2019 and 2024.
The report was considered and approved during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin, following a detailed presentation by the Chairman of the committee and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Sani Isyaku Abubakar.
Presenting the findings, Abubakar explained that the committee’s work was guided by Sections 125 and 128 of the 1999 Constitution. He said the review was based on audit reports submitted by both the State Auditor-General and the Auditor-General for Local Governments.
According to the committee, the audit revealed a pattern of financial irregularities over the five-year period. These included alleged overpayments, expenditures that could not be properly accounted for, and repeated violations of established procurement laws.
The report also identified cases of fictitious and unauthorised payments, alongside poor documentation practices that made it difficult to track public spending effectively.
Beyond financial discrepancies, the committee highlighted structural weaknesses within the system. These included inadequate storage facilities for official records and insufficient training for public finance officers, particularly at the local government level.
To address these issues, the PAC recommended a series of corrective measures. Key among them is the recovery of diverted or unaccounted funds through appropriate legal processes, with recovered monies to be returned to the public treasury.
The committee also called for disciplinary action against individuals found responsible for financial misconduct, stressing the need to enforce accountability across all levels of government.
In addition, it proposed regular capacity-building programmes and retraining for accounting personnel, especially those working within local councils, to improve financial management practices.
Other recommendations included the provision of fireproof storage facilities to safeguard official records and the introduction of incentive systems to reward staff who demonstrate professionalism and adherence to financial regulations.
After deliberating on the report, members of the Assembly unanimously adopted its findings and recommendations, signaling a commitment to strengthening transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
