FCDO - PERL SUPPORTS KDSG STRENGTHEN MECHANISMS CRITICAL TO SUSTAINING REFORMS BEYOND 2023

The Kaduna State Government under the stewardship of His Excellency Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i, has embarked on several reforms across all sectors since coming into power in 2015 .

The current administration’s drive and commitment to reform implementation has since transformed the Public Service in the state and repositioned it for improved service delivery to residents across Kaduna

These reforms and the resulting improvements in the lives and livelihoods of residents have transformed Kaduna’s governance architecture and repositioned it as a model Sub-national Government worthy of envy. 

As the curtain calls on the current administration's time in office, the focus is on the sustainability of reforms beyond the current administration. 

This renewed focus has since culminated in the inauguration of the Kaduna State Reforms Sustainability Technical Committee.

To drive the process, the Kaduna State Government requested technical assistance from long-time partners, the United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded Partnership, to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL) to strategically reposition the Reforms Sustainability Technical Committee to ensure the Committee is well placed to deliver on its mandates.

After the inauguration of the RSTC Steering Committee, KDSG with support from FCDO-PERL organized two days  technical session with members from the four sub-committees. 

Speaking at the commencement of the    session in Zaria, the Permanent Secretary, Planning & Budget Commission (PBC), represented by the Director Monitoring and Evaluation, PBC Mrs Jummai Bako, noted the discouragingly low levels of indicators across sectors, due to poor implementation of documented recommendations designed to build a prosperous state. 

She opined, "the state should not be allowed to return to such harrowing moments. Hence the need to harmonise, document and sustain all the reforms beyond this administration." 

Mrs Bako urged participants to be dedicated and committed to the session so that all reforms (2015 – 2023) can be well documented and sustained, ensuring Kaduna State remains a model across Nigeria. 

She added that the state government, development partners and other stakeholders invested heavily in bringing all the reforms to fruition, and we (Kaduna’s Public Service) cannot let them fail.

The State Facilitation Manager of the Accountable Responsible and Capable (ARC) Government Pillar of the PERL Programme, Mr Ashiru Sani, highlighted the impact of the reforms implemented by KDSG from 2015 to date the present across – the Social, Governance, Economic Development, Security and Justice and key Sub-Sectors.

He noted, "these reforms have improved the way the public service operates, promoting economic development and transforming the lives of citizens". 

The Facilitation Manager explained that “in the context of Governance in Nigeria, Kaduna State leads in terms of translating reforms to impact. 

He further stressed that the overall objective of establishing the reforms  sustainability Committee is to promote reforms sustainability both at the state and the local government levels and to ensure documented reforms recommendation are properly implemented. 

He added that RSC became necessary in other to communicate progress of the implementation to the Executive councils and other relevant stakeholders as well as to communicate challenges encountered in implementing the reforms to the transition committee. 

Badamasi Musa, the Director State Planning,  in his presentation shed more light on the rationale for constituting  the Reforms Sustainability Committee.

"The RSC will serve as a mechanic to be put in place to maintain the admirable change that have earned Kaduna State above other Sub-national as a model state for the rest of the nation to emulate beyond the tenure of the current administration".

DSP noted the RSC will further improve the structures and procedures necessary for the progression of reforms initiatives.

He stressed that the inclusion of lessons learned, challenges, recommendations and impact of the reforms in their reports would go a long way in the sustainability of these reforms beyond 2023.

The session witness presentations from the members of  the RSTCon the various reforms being implemented in their respective MDAs. 

Presents at the session were representatives  of Partnership,to Engage, Reforms and Learn  (Perl) and members of the RSTC  from strategy MDAs across the state.