By Hassan Hussain
The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Cross River State Chapter, has commended Governor Bassey Edet Otu for investing in capacity building and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening governance at the grassroots.
ALGON Chairman in the state and Executive Chairman of Yakurr Local Government Area, Hon. (Obol) Yibala Igri Inyang, gave the commendation in Calabar during the ongoing statewide training on budget reporting and integrated data utilisation for local government personnel.
Hon. Igri Inyang described the training as a strategic initiative designed to enhance accountability, improve fiscal discipline, and modernise public financial management across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
He said the programme would equip budget officers, treasury staff, and planning personnel with the technical skills required to effectively manage budget processes, ensure compliance, and address fiscal leakages and inefficiencies.
The ALGON Chairman noted that the initiative aligns with global best practices in planning, budget implementation, and reporting. He added that all 18 local government councils would adopt the new budgeting framework to ensure transparency, performance, and uniformity in financial management.
According to him, the Governor’s intervention addresses longstanding challenges associated with non-standardised budget processes by promoting a common understanding of budget classification, reporting, and fiscal responsibility.
Hon. Igri Inyang called on local government chairmen across the state to support the implementation of the training outcomes by institutionalising the knowledge acquired to improve service delivery at the grassroots.
He expressed confidence that the initiative would strengthen a transparent, accountable, and data-driven public service capable of meeting the developmental needs of the people.
