The Chairman of the Gombe State Responsibility and Fiscal Commission, Umar Babagoro Bello, has stated that the Commission will continue to evolve new strategies aimed at improving the social and economic dimensions of the State.
Babagoro Bello made this statement while leading members of the Commission on a courtesy visit to the Secretary to the Gombe State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi.
He explained that since the establishment of the Responsibility Commission in 2018, the corporate body has engaged in assessing the micro-environment and enforcing laws tailored toward promoting economic activities in the State.
He revealed that the Commission is empowered by the Fiscal Responsibility Law of Gombe State to compel individuals and corporate bodies to disclose their financial dealings and can impose penalties on any entity found to have contravened the law.
He commended Governor Mahammadu Inuwa Yahaya for prioritizing the Commission, which distinguishes it from its peers across the country.
While commending the Governor for giving them the opportunity to serve on the Commission, Babagoro Bello assured unwavering commitment to serve without fear or favor.
In response, the Secretary to the Gombe State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, affirmed that it was in the spirit of transparency and accountability that the State domesticated the Responsibility Commission from the Federal Government.
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He stated that Inuwa Yahaya’s administration is committed to prudence in government, hence his desire to domesticate the Commission, fully aware that it can act as an anti-graft agency.
According to him, “There is nothing to hide when it comes to issues of governance. If we are truly serving the people, we shouldn’t be seen as hiding anything.”
The SSG challenged the Commission to continually focus their scrutiny on government entities to ensure that their activities are carried out in line with established procedures.
Regarding the Commission’s requests for operational vehicles, improved running costs, the need for permanent staff, ICT support, and other logistics, the SSG directed the Chairman to formalize these requests for possible government action.
Present at the courtesy visit were the Permanent Secretary/Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Abubakar Hassan; Permanent Secretary of SS&Pol, Salihu Adamu Sambo; and directors from the SSG’s office, as contained in a statement by Joshua Danmallam, Information Officer in the SSG’s office.
