Extending transparency to finance, budget ministries
When President Muhamadu Buhari nominated Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed as minister in 2015, many people were not surprised to see her on the list of his cabinet. Reasons being that they (Buhari and Zainab) share many things in common. Buhari has been regarded and recognised by many local and international observers as one Nigerian that exempt […]
When President Muhamadu Buhari nominated Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed as minister in 2015, many people were not surprised to see her on the list of his cabinet. Reasons being that they (Buhari and Zainab) share many things in common. Buhari has been regarded and recognised by many local and international observers as one Nigerian that exempt himself from the mess of corruption and unduly use of power to enrich himself or his family despite holding many powerful positions at different times including the number one position of military head of states in 1983. Even his critics have found nothing bad on his transparency records but to resolved to cheap blackmails. For her, the story is very similar, as she has not only been avoiding corruption but fighting it during the period that no one is expecting someone could attempt to do that. She headed an institution that champion the fight against corruption and manipulation of oil and gas records and ensure that oil proceeds have been judiciously utilise by states and federal government.
As the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Zainab conducted some best audits that where ranked above its peers in the global EITI. Some people may ask, what was special in that? But for those that know how complicated the Nigerian oil and gas sector operate and the secrecy in its operations, in addition to the conceited nature of some oil companies that operate in the country, that task of auditing them is not simple. In many cases before her tenure in NEITI, the oil and gas companies where not responding to the queries and request for data from the field workers despite the penalties in the NEITI Act. There were so many reasons to congratulate her for conducting some of the best audits and even concluded her assignment without being drag to the mess in the oil and gas corruption scandals, as many companies where willing to give mouthwatering offers if the NEITI officials can corporate with them.
Zainab continued with her task of entrenching transparency in governance when President Buhari appointed her as the minister of state for Budget and National Planning, with the special task of ensuring all funds from donors are properly mobilize, utilize and accounted for. Millions of United State Dollars interventions before her period, were not felt by the internally displaced persons (IDPs). She changed the narrative when she supervised the process.
Her appointment as the supervising minister of finance after the exit of Mrs Kemi Adeosun, was considered very logical and timely, in the first place, as a woman, she is a perfect substitute of a fellow woman, but most importantly her transparency records met any standard to lead a ministry of such magnitude. The finance ministry is the mother of all ministries because that is where the disbursements of all funds are done. No government that is willing to fight corruption and instill discipline in managing its resources will ignore people like Zainab to head its finance ministry. Within short period on the job, she silent her critics and become a role model. She introduced many policies that change the ministry for good. Within short period, she increases the enrolment of many MDAs in GIFMIS and disbursements were done base on merit. As a result, many projects were executed within short period of time, pensioners were paid while the outstanding arrears of workers have been settled. These and many such successes are enough reasons that ministers like Zainab not only return to Buhari’s second term cabinet but assigned to hold same portfolio in addition to the budget and national planning as senior minister.
Zainab have many qualities that made her excel in her assignments which make many leaders don’t ignore her are her dedication to duty, transparency and humbleness. With her in charge of the country’s finances, surely Nigerians will feel more the dividend of democracy under the next level agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Al- Amin Kurna wrote from Abuja