The Ekiti Government has commenced a three-day capacity-building workshop for key local government officials aimed at strengthening fiscal responsibility, transparency, accountability and enhancing internally generated revenue (IGR) across the state’s 16 local government councils.
The State Governor,Mr Biodun Oyebanji, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro, said at the opening of the workshop in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday that the initiative reflected his administration’s commitment to building a financially prudent, transparent and efficient local government system.
The workshop, with the theme, “Fiscal Administrative Due Process and Enhanced Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the Local Government System,” was organised by the Ministry of Local Government Affairs in collaboration with HIBAD Strategic Solutions Ltd.
Oyebanji described the workshop as timely, coming after the renewal of his mandate by the people of the state, saying it placed greater responsibility on public officials to uphold accountability, transparency, integrity and prudent management of public resources.
He said local governments, being the closest tier of government to the people, must be strengthened to deliver effective grassroots development through sound financial management and improved service delivery.
The Governor said fiscal administrative due process remained the foundation of good governance because it promotes transparency, accountability, value for money and public confidence while reducing waste and corruption.
He urged local government officials to discharge their responsibilities with diligence and professionalism, stressing that every expenditure must be justified, every transaction transparent and every decision guided by the public interest.
On revenue generation, Oyebanji said sustainable grassroots development depended largely on the financial viability of local governments.
According to him, improving IGR requires innovative strategies, technology-driven systems, stronger record-keeping, blocking revenue leakages, expanding the revenue base without placing undue burden on citizens and ensuring accountability in the utilisation of public funds.
He expressed confidence that the workshop would expose participants to modern approaches in revenue administration, financial planning, auditing, expenditure control, risk management and revenue optimisation.
In his remarks,the State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr Folorunso Olabode, said the workshop was designed to strengthen fiscal discipline, administrative efficiency and revenue generation within the local government system.
Olabode urged participants to apply the knowledge gained to improve financial accountability, reduce revenue leakages and enhance service delivery in their respective councils.
Also speaking, the State Head of Service, Dr . Folakemi Olomojobi, commended the governor for prioritising continuous capacity development for public servants and encouraged participants to maximise the opportunity provided by the training.
A representative of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Mr Bello Bakori, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to promoting transparency, accountability and integrity in public administration.
Bakori said participants would be equipped with practical strategies for strengthening internally generated revenue while ensuring compliance with due process and anti-corruption principles.
The workshop attracted chairmen of the 16 local government councils, senior local government administrators, directors of finance and supplies, directors of administration, revenue officers, traditional rulers, development partners and other stakeholders