In the Center’s drive to deepen transparency at subnational levels through mainstreaming of the Transparency and Integrity Index (TII) as a tool for measuring public sector transparency, the 2023 edition is set to assess the 774 local government areas (LGAs) in Nigeria.
This was as the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) pledged to mobilize LG for the assessment during the Center’s courtesy visit on the Director General, Mrs. Binta Bello.
Speaking during a courtesy, the Executive Director of the Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CeFTIW) said that the Index aims to draw attention to issue of transparency and accountability at local government level which has been overlooked over the years.
Yakubu emphasized the imperative of spotlighting governance at local government, and importance of proactive disclosure in the administrative processes of LGAs as mandated by local laws and other international commitments the country has signed up.
Yakubu said that the LGA assessment will be carried out based on five variables including: website integrity, fiscal transparency, open procurement, anti-corruption and citizens engagement.
In her response, Mrs Bello commended the Center’s efforts to promote fiscal transparency and entrenching a culture of accountability in the public service. She looked forward to the outcome of the assessment, and pledged support on ways to improve fiscal transparency in the local level of governance.
ALGON is the umbrella Association for the 774 LGAs in Nigeria. The Association has over the years act as a unified voice on socio-political issues in Nigeria. It is hoped that the Association will drive fiscal transparency in Nigeria’s LG administration.