The Zamfara State House of Assembly has introduced a new system of budget defence for Local Government Councils to ensure accountability in local government administration in the state.
Alhaji Dayyabu Rijiya, the Chairman of the Assembly Committee for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, told
Assembly Correspondents in Gusau on Friday that the new system would require council chairmen with their executives and legislators to appear before the Assembly to defend their budget proposal for 2016 fiscal year.
He said the system would ensure accountability and transparency, as well as reduce corruption in local government administration.
He added that “you know that we are in the era of change now, therefore, we have to support the present administration’s policy in the fight against corruption and as lawmakers, we have to support policies and programmes that will move our dear state and country forward.
“Apart from reducing corruption, the system will also expose council chairmen and their souncilors to budget activities because many of them do not have any insight about local government budget, ” he said.
He said that the system was expected to assist local government administrators to be familiar with budget activities and other financial issues.
Rijiya, therefore, urged the 14 local government chairmen and their councilors to cooperate with the Assembly to succeed in the exercise. (NAN)