Governor Muhammad Bago of Niger State has invited the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria to conduct an independent audit of the state’s financial records as part of efforts to promote transparency, address discrepancies, and strengthen fiscal discipline.
Bago made the call on Tuesday while declaring open the 20th Northern Zone Accountants’ Conference in Minna.
The event, themed “Accountability and National Re-orientation: Unlocking Nigeria’s Socio-Economic Potentials,” drew accountants, policymakers, and financial experts to deliberate on strategies for national development.
The governor stated that the audit would serve as a benchmark for other states, emphasising that accountability and transparency are essential to effective governance and sustainable economic growth.
“The theme of this conference is timely and reflects the current realities of our nation. Accountability, rebuilding trust, fostering national values, and stimulating economic growth are imperatives we must pursue relentlessly,” Bago stated.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening accountability institutions, urging participants to propose actionable recommendations that could help restore public trust and improve governance nationwide.
In his remarks, ICAN President, Haruna Yahaya, welcomed the partnership and assured that the audit would be carried out with full independence and professionalism.
Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the theme of the conference was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of promoting transparency and accountability.
Represented by the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Baba Ndace, the minister stressed that accountability was a shared national responsibility, adding that citizen engagement and open government initiatives remained central to the administration’s reforms.
This is coming barely two weeks after the leader of the Chanchaga Local Government legislative council in Niger state, Yehuza Etsu, revealed that the council was unable to account for N395 million allocated to the Minna Development Fund.
Etsu stated this when he appeared as a witness during a hearing of the Investigative Committee probing allegations of gross misconduct and financial mismanagement against suspended Council Chairman Aminu Ladan.
He said the legislative council did not know how the N395 million, accrued from two per cent monthly allocations to the Minna Development Fund between December 2022 and June 2025, was utilised.
