By: Ahmed Rufa’i
The Exceptional Leadership and Integrity Promotions Initiative (ELIP-Initiative) has said the year 2025 recorded remarkable strides in the collective pursuit of transparent governance and inclusive development across Jigawa State and its local government councils.
The organisation made this known in a New Year goodwill message to Governor Umar Namadi, the state government and the people of Jigawa, signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Isah Mustapha (Sa’in Babura).
According to the statement, “The year 2025 marked remarkable strides in our collective pursuit of transparent governance and inclusive development.”
Comrade Mustapha said that on behalf of ELIP-Initiative, the organisation extends heartfelt New Year greetings to the resilient people of Jigawa State and all stakeholders as the state welcomes 2026.
He explained that throughout 2025, the Initiative actively tracked projects and programmes across different tiers of government, while also participating in workshops on local development planning, coalition building and capacity enhancement for climate-resilient initiatives.
According to him, these monitoring activities strengthened participatory governance and helped to ensure that public resources translated into tangible benefits for communities across the state.
The Sa’in Babura further disclosed that ELIP-Initiative played a pivotal role in collecting, collating and analysing over 1,142 citizens’ inputs into the 2025 budget process through 287 Community-Based Organisations, town hall meetings and online platforms. He noted that the exercise involved more than 17,000 respondents, including women, youths and persons with disabilities.
In particular, the organisation commended the Jigawa State Government for the disbursement of over N1.856 billion in terminal and death benefits to retirees, while also advocating systemic reforms to ensure timely payments and long-term pension sustainability.
“These efforts underscore our commitment to strong public financial oversight at both state and local government levels, fostering accountability and improving the welfare of public servants,” the statement added.
Looking ahead to the 2026 fiscal year, ELIP-Initiative said it would intensify citizen engagement to ensure that the state budget reflects the aspirations of Jigawa’s growing population, with emphasis on social services, agriculture and inclusive economic growth.
The organisation finally pledged its unwavering dedication to deepening advocacy for citizen-driven budgeting, rigorous project monitoring and transparent financial management in 2026.
“Together, we can build a Jigawa State where every naira truly serves the people,” the statement concluded.
