The Kaduna State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accountability and open governance as the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, and the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos, presided over the November 2025 sessions of the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC).
Hon. Mamman Lagos earlier chaired the JAAC Technical Session, held at the newly remodelled Conference Hall of the Ministry of Local Government Affairs.
The upgraded facility hosted Directors of Finance, Budget Officers, Local Government Chairmen, and representatives of key government agencies involved in fiscal allocation and monitoring.
The technical meeting focused on detailed financial reviews, cross-checks, and reconciliation of statutory allocations accruing to the 23 Local Government Councils for the month of November.
It also provided a platform for technical officers to validate financial submissions and strengthen harmonisation ahead of the plenary session.
Agencies in attendance included the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Kaduna Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (Federal Pay Office).
Other key institutions represented were the Public Health Care Board (PHCB), the Kaduna State Pension Board, and the Local Government Service Board (LGSB), all of which play central roles in ensuring transparent disbursement and utilisation of JAAC-linked funds.
During the plenary session chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Balarabe commended the committee for sustaining a culture of openness in the administration of local government finances.
She noted that the state government under Governor Uba Sani places premium on fiscal discipline, due process, and accurate reporting of all local government inflows and expenditures.
The plenary, which held at the Senator Uba Sani Conference Hall of the Ministry, brought together all 23 Local Government Chairmen, their Deputies, Directors of Finance and Budget, as well as senior officials from the ministry. The presence of top-level political and administrative officers underscored the state’s emphasis on collective decision-making.
Dr. Balarabe reiterated that the JAAC process remains central to the government’s broader reform agenda aimed at strengthening grassroots development and aligning local spending with citizens’ needs.
She stressed that transparency in JAAC operations builds trust and boosts the efficiency of local councils.
Commissioner Mamman Lagos, in his remarks, emphasised that the monthly JAAC sessions are not mere administrative rituals but a crucial accountability mechanism.
He added that the Ministry is committed to ensuring that every kobo allocated to the councils is tracked, reconciled, and tied to verifiable development outcomes.
He disclosed that the government recently enhanced its financial review systems, including the digitalisation of some reporting processes, to improve accuracy and reduce delays in reconciling figures from multiple agencies.
The meeting also reviewed local government obligations such as salaries, pensions, primary health care financing, and education-related payments. Participants affirmed the need for councils to prioritise service delivery in line with state policy directions.
Both the technical and plenary sessions ended with renewed commitments by stakeholders to uphold transparency, strengthen inter-agency collaboration, and ensure that local government funds directly impact communities across Kaduna State.