KADUNA – Kaduna State Deputy Gov., Dr Hadiza Balarabe, on Thursday inaugurated Kaduna South Local Government Council’s digital governance initiative to promote accountability, transparency and efficient public service delivery.
During the inauguration in Kaduna, Balarabe said the initiative aligned with Gov. Uba Sani’s digital governance agenda, which promotes transparent, inclusive and people-centred governance.
Reports that the initiative with the theme “Navigating the future: Driving Inclusive Governance through Digital Innovation” featured the unveiling of the council’s official logo, new website and administration scorecard.
She said technology should improve citizens’ access to information and public services rather than serve as a ceremonial achievement.
“A digital government should not merely put information online; it should put power back into the hands of the people,” she said.
Balarabe urged the council to keep the portal updated to enable residents to monitor projects, access opportunities and engage the government.
Describing the administration scorecard as a contract of trust between government and the people, she stressed that governments should not fear accountability because citizens have the right to know what has been achieved with public resources.
Earlier,the Executive Chairman of the Council, Rayyan Hussein, noted that the initiative reflected his administration’s commitment to technology-driven governance and greater citizen participation.
Hussein disclosed that the council conducted a baseline assessment after assuming office to identify gaps in health, education, security, economy and the public administration.
He said findings from the assessment informed action plans and reforms, which had produced measurable results across critical sectors.
“We did not guess what to do. We assessed the challenges, developed action plans and today we are reporting verifiable progress,” he said.
Hussein said the council introduced digital certificates of indigene with QR code verification, an official website, professional email systems and secured cloud storage.
He also said that Kaduna South was the first local government in the North-West and third nationally to join the Open Government Partnership.
According to him, the council also introduced live dashboards for primary healthcare centres to improve accountability and service delivery.
Hussein said the administration introduced a 70 per cent subsidy on medical bills in primary healthcare centres and enrolled 1,000 residents into Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA).
He said more than 1,000 maternity kits were distributed, while health facilities received rehabilitation, solar power, laboratory equipment and essential medicines.
The chairman said the teacher-to-student ratio improved from one to 90 pupils to one to 40 through recruitment and deployment initiatives.
He added that over 1,000 students received sponsorship for JAMB and NECO examinations, while schools benefited from infrastructure upgrades and learning materials.
Hussein said security was strengthened through new bye-laws, improved collaboration with security agencies and establishment of special protection outposts.
He said the council also supported farmers, empowered women and youths, and expanded access to clean water through solar-powered boreholes.
The chairman attributed the achievements to Gov. Uba Sani’s “SUSTAIN Agenda”, and urged the residents to use the newly launched web portal and other digital platforms to access information and provide feedback.(NAN)
