Kano State Deputy Governor warns against absenteeism in LGAs

By Mustapha Salisu

Kano State Deputy Governor and Commissioner of the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Comr. Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo on Saturday warned that the state government will not tolerate all forms of absenteeism in LGAs.

The Deputy Governor issued the warning during the flagging off ceremony of a 4-day sensitization workshop for relevant stakeholders across 44 LGAs of the state on the newly introduced integrated revenue management platform and electronic data collection system.

“Truancy has reached its highest peak in our LGAs and we can’t afford to be paying salaries to staff who are always absent in office” Gwarzo lamented.

In his address, the Deputy Governor highlighted the importance of revenue collection and its direct impact on social contracts and infrastructural development within local governments.

According to him, Internally generated revenue (IGR) plays a pivotal role in enabling governments to make informed decisions that meet the basic needs of their constituents.

Deputy Gwarzo said that the importance and direct linkages of the internal revenue effort and the revenue allocation formulae necessitated the twin training that comprises all the relevant stake-holders to come together to brainstorm, learn, and tackle all the challenges associated with internal revenue administration of the entire 44 local governments in the state.

He said that at the end of the program, participants were expected to be conversant with the following:

“To fully understand the newly integrated revenue management platform in tandem to the state consolidation and codification of revenue law, 2022 respectively”

“To be abreast in the management of our account records and maintain proper and up to date posting of the relevant data for revenue mobilization allocation and fiscal commission inspection and other checks”

“To be well acquainted with the process of data gathering and management that would pass the credibility and integrity test by Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission among others”

The Deputy Governor urged participants to listen attentively and learn from the vast experience of the resource persons and ensure applying what they learn into practice.

He commended the effort of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, for approving the conduct of the workshop.

Gwarzo urged Chairmen of all 44 LGAs to fasten their seatbelts towards overseeing implementation of the training in their respective LGA’s

Earlier in his remarks, Permanent Secretary Ministry for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Yusuf Datti Hussain thanked the Deputy Governor for the timely training and urged participants to participate with dedication towards filling existing revenue gaps in all LGAs of the state.

The workshop was attended by relevant local government staff from all 44 local governments in Kano State.