Governor Umar Namadi has said his government will hold officials of his administration accountable for the performance of their Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the drive to implement the administration’s commitment to boosting the state’s economy.

Namadi stated this, yesterday, in his opening remarks at a retreat for members of Jigawa State Executive Council (SEC) and other top government officials in Kaduna State.

The two-day event, organised in collaboration with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)-funded Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL)’s Accountable, Responsive and Capable Government (ARC) programme, has as its theme, ‘Accelerating Socio-economic Development for a Greater Jigawa’.

Explaining that he intended to track the activities of the heads of the MDAs by defining specific milestones and performance indicators, the governor emphasised the importance of real-time performance assessment, with support from PERL-ARC and such partners.

He underscored the retreat’s importance, noting the invaluable partnership with FCDO, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Save the Children and other development organisations, acknowledging their enduring contributions to Jigawa’s governance environment and service delivery to the citizens.

Recognising the retreat’s comprehensive agenda and its critical role in achieving the state’s development goals, Namadi encouraged the participants to think creatively and innovatively to ensure the retreat’s objectives yield transformative outcomes.

The governor also addressed the present challenges faced by the state despite several years of success stories across various sectors. He expressed concerns about key human development indices that continue to paint a grim picture. Despite significant achievements, these challenges persist, as evident in the 2022 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) report.

Highlighting the need for a revised approach to implement initiatives and interventions, he stressed the importance of practical improvements in the socio-economic well-being of Jigawa citizens with measurable impact on national surveys.

Furthermore, he noted the significance of efficient resource utilisation, effective public expenditure and financial management systems. He proposed the establishment of a robust Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system to continually appraise performance across sectors and take remedial measures when necessary.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG),Bala Ibrahim, outlined the retreat’s objectives, which include familiarising participants with the policy and governance environment, as well as implementing the governor’s commitments in his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023.

Representative of FCDO, Abubakar Tijjani, reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the state’s 12-point agenda and pledged continued partnership with the Jigawa government.