By Bassey Udo
The Chairmen of the 23 Local Government Councils in Kaduna State have been cautioned against taking loans from banks and other financial institutions without first obtaining a Certificate of Proof of Compliance (POC) from the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) as required under Section 45 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007.
The Director of Legal Services, Investigation and Enforcement at the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), Barrister Charles Chukwuemeka Abana, gave the advice while representing the Chairman of the Commission, Victor Muruako, recently at a workshop tagged “KADSFREC 1.0”, held in Kaduna State.
The workshop was organised by the Kaduna State Fiscal Responsibility Commission (KADSFRC) in collaboration with the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on the theme “Strengthening Fiscal Responsibility and Public Financial Management Practices Across the 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.”
Abana emphasized that governments at all tiers can only borrow for capital expenditure and human development, including infrastructural projects, warning that lending by banks and financial institutions in contravention of the relevant sections of the Act was unlawful
Non-compliance with the relevant provisions of the law, he warned, exposes public officers to serious legal consequences.
He strongly condemned the practice of spending public funds without due budgetary appropriation, describing such actions as “fiscal haram.”
He warned Local Government Chairmen against doling out public funds to random individuals and political loyalists or inflating their payrolls with names of individuals not properly employed with defined work schedules to fill vacant positions when such expenditures were not captured in their approved budgets.
“Every kobo spent must have value for money. Public resources must be planned, budgeted for, properly appropriated and disbursed towards the execution of projects that positively impact the lives of the people,” he stated.
He called on Council chairmen to embrace transparency, accountability, and prudent financial management, noting that the decisions taken by public officers have far-reaching consequences on present and future generations.
Urging them to take advantage of the Commission’s offer to provide technical assistance to enable them make adequate Fiscal Responsibility Bye-Laws, he said this would help build a sustainable future anchored on fiscal discipline.
Barrister Abana also commended the Governor of Kaduna State, Dr. Uba Sani, for his consistent support of reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and prudent management of public funds across the state.
He noted that the Governor’s commitment to sound financial governance has created an enabling environment for institutions such as the Kaduna State Fiscal Responsibility Commission to thrive.
Also, he applauded the Chairman of the Kaduna State Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Sani Rabiu Bako, for his visionary leadership and proactive approach to deepening fiscal responsibility at the sub-national level, and encouraged him to expand the initiative by organising similar workshops that would bring together Local Government Chairmen across the entire North-West region.
Earlier in his welcome address, Sani Rabiu Bako described the workshop as a critical platform for strengthening public financial management at the grassroots.
He applauded the collaboration between key anti-corruption and accountability agencies, including the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity.
The goal of the workshop, he explained, was to educate financial managers and public office holders on the principles of value for money, transparency, and accountability, to ensure that fiscal responsibility messages reached the sub-national level where service delivery directly affects citizens.
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He commended the Kaduna State Government for prioritising capacity building for public finance managers, noting that sound public financial management remains the backbone of sustainable development, leading to improved infrastructure, cleaner environments, quality education, and overall socio-economic growth.
Declaring the workshop open, the Governor of Kaduna State, Dr. Uba Sani, strongly condemned financial mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds.
The governor called on all elected officials and political appointees to uphold the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and transparency in the discharge of their official duties.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to institutional reforms, fiscal discipline, and responsible governance, stressing that public trust can only be sustained when government resources were managed efficiently and in the best interest of the people.
Other participating agencies at the workshop presented technical papers on fiscal responsibility, ethical governance, procurement processes, and anti-corruption strategies, further reinforcing the importance of accountability and prudent management of public funds across all levels of government.