From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
The Kaduna Local Government Accountability Mechanism (KAD-LGAM) has unveiled the Citizens’ Participatory Audit (CPA) report on selected 2024 education projects across 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kaduna State, revealing significant gaps in project implementation and transparency.
The report, presented at a dissemination event, showed that only 34.6% of projects were completed, 34% were ongoing, and 21.2% had not commenced. The audit also found that 80.8% of schools lacked project signposts, 78.8% lacked metered fencing, and 40.4% lacked an air source, undermining safety, learning environments, and accountability in public schools.
Alheri Waje, Lead of the Education Cohort of KAD-LGAM, attributed the gaps to weak systems, inadequate transparency, and limited community participation, calling for institutionalized participatory monitoring, improved transparency, and timely funding to strengthen education service delivery and citizens’ trust.
The CPA aimed to strengthen accountability, promote community participation, and assess whether education investments were meeting citizens’ needs. Waje urged the Kaduna State Government to publish procurement, contract awards, and implementation data for all education projects, in line with the Open Government Partnership (OGP) commitments.
Seth Luke, Head of Programmes, KAD-LGAM, said the exercise assessed budget releases, procurement compliance, quality of work, and project execution status, using first-hand feedback from citizens and aligning with the Kaduna State Audit Law and OGP commitments.
Luke commended the Kaduna State Government for opening its processes to public scrutiny, describing the CPA as evidence of the administration’s willingness to strengthen accountability and institutional responsiveness.
Yusuf Goje, Team Lead of KAD-LGAM, said the report would provide actionable recommendations to the Public Accounts Committee and the House Committee on Education to improve oversight and ensure better value for money in education spending.
Dr. Abubakar Abdullahi, Auditor-General of Kaduna State, lauded the CPA report, noting that it provided critical insights to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the implementation of education projects.
Atiku Musa, Auditor-General of Local Governments, commended the report, describing it as a vital tool for improving accountability, transparency, and service delivery in Kaduna State’s education sector.
The event was attended by officials from the state Ministry of Education, Universal Basic Education Board, and development partners, among others. It was supported by Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (FCDO-PLANE) and the Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE).
