ABUJA, July 28, 2023 – The Kano State Government has announced plans to transition to digital data collection in local governments, aiming to enhance internally generated revenue (IGR) efforts and secure additional funding from the federation. The move comes as part of a broader strategy to improve service delivery and maximize results through efficient data management.
During a seminar organized by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, in collaboration with 36 states and 774 local governments, Kano State’s Deputy Governor and Commissioner for the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, revealed the state’s commitment to this transformative initiative. The “Tooling Programme” seminar, held at the Commission’s auditorium in Abuja, focused on enlightening state and local government officials about the benefits of transitioning from manual to electronic data generation and management.
Kano State Governor Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf expressed his determination to enhance service delivery through comprehensive training and retraining of civil servants. By adopting digital data collection practices, the state aims to tackle various critical issues, such as accurately determining the state’s population, assessing healthcare service delivery, monitoring school enrollment, and bolstering internally generated revenue – all of which contribute to the allocation of funds from the federation account.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Chris A. Akomos, Chairman of the Indices and Disbursement Committee and Commissioner representing Abia State in the Commission, emphasized that the main objective of the program is to motivate both state and local governments to work diligently for the welfare of their people. He revealed the Commission’s plan to review the allocation every five years based on the data obtained to assess the performance of each state and local government.
Commending the Kano State Government’s efforts, Dr. Akomos acknowledged the significant financial support provided to facilitate the participation of a large number of attendees from the state in the seminar. He hailed this gesture as a testament to Kano’s readiness to achieve its goals through authentic and reliable data collection.
Expressing his delight at the strong representation from Kano, Bar. Umaru Faruk Abdullahi, Commissioner representing Kano State at the Commission and district head of Warawa local government, emphasized the importance of this digital data collection system in confirming Kano as the most populous state in Nigeria. He noted that previously, doubts had arisen when claiming Kano’s demographic status, but now the electronic data system allows for easy verification.
Bar. Abdullahi urged the Kano State Government to focus on improving internally generated revenue, particularly at the local government level, as this would directly impact the allocation of funds from the federal treasury.
In conclusion, the implementation of digital data collection at the local government level in Kano State is expected to usher in a new era of accurate and efficient data management, empowering the state to make informed decisions and secure its rightful share of funding from the federation account.
