By Maiwada Dammallam
Much as the recent adoption of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the administration of Governor Dikko Umar Radda is indicative of his administration’s purposeful trajectory and its resolve to enforce prudence and accountability, the appointment of Malam Nura Tela as the Accountant General of Katsina State by Governor Radda could be said to be the activation of the agenda to reform and upgrade the system of governance by the administration.
Management of government finances is the most critical and cumbersome aspect of governance. It’s a strict situation of head you win, tail you lose. The success of implementing the agendas of the administration aimed at unlocking the socio-economic potentials to the fullest in Katsina State as in other places, is entirely rested on availability and prudent management of resources. This much could be said to be behind the premium attention Governor Radda gave the search for a suitable and reliable candidate to entrust with the office of the Accountant General of Katsina State. The search came to fruition when the name of a consummate banker, Malam Nura Tela, was announced as the new Accountant General of Katsina State.
A graduate of Accounting from Bayero University Kano, Malam Nura Tela began his pristine banking career with the defunct FSB International Bank Plc and later on Fidelity Bank plc. He moved to Skye Bank Plc as the pioneer manager of its first Bauchi branch. He rose to be the regional head of electronic banking channels covering the Northern region. Malam Tela is also a hybrid professional with as much commendable experience in the public service as he garnered in the banking sector.
After more than a decade stint in the banking sector, he joined the public service as a federal auditor in the office of the Auditor General for the Federation where he established an incorruptible identity that became a hallmark that has been trailing his career. Conflicting as it may sound, Malam Nura is as simple as he’s rigid and incorruptible. His adherence to the tenets and ethics of his profession propelled him to achieve more professional mileage than most of his peers — an achievement he’s never quick to display out of humility and simplicity.
Simple as he is, he’s a giant in his own right. He led several high profile audit assignments to complex albeit reputable institutions such as the Nigerian Petroleum Investment Management Services, Lagos, Integrated Data Services Ltd, Benin City, University of Lagos, University of Technology Akure, Bank of Industry, Institute of Triapanosomiasis Research and many more. His rich experience in the public service is not limited to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation. In 2016, he was invited to SMEDAN to serve as Special Assistant to the then Director General, Malam Dikko Umar Radda Ph.D, where he immensely contributed to the successes of then DG Malam Dikko Radda and where a bond of reliability and confidence was established between the two.
It’s no surprise then, when Governor Radda’s successor in SMEDEN, Mr. Olawale Tunde Fasanya, retained the services of Malam Nura as Special Assistant. It’s no surprise when Governor Radda, once again, poached Malam Nura from SMEDEN to serve his administration first as his Technical Assistant (TA) on Treasury Matters and now the Accountant General of the state. Needless to say, the appointment of Malam Nura is another confirmation by Governor Radda that he’s willing to walk his talk of competence, prudence, accountability and service to the people.
It’s the hallmark of Governor Radda to put round pegs in round holes as he manifestly made clear in the composition of his cabinet. Then, who else is best suited for the office of Katsina State Accountant General than a versatile banker with an excellent stint in the office of the Auditor General of the Federation beside being a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN)? Tela is simply a perfect choice to match the ambition and determination of the Dikko administration to plug leakages in the finances of Katsina State while enhancing professionalism, accountability to achieve envisaged results.
In the same shot, the appointment of the immediate past Accountant General, Malik Anas, as Special Adviser to the Governor on Banking and Finance, is another display of leadership finesse by Governor Radda. Malik Anas’ tenure as Accountant General of Katsina State significantly changed public perception about the management of government’s finances. His tenure as Accountant General recorded a very remarkable improvement in the management of government finances. His tenured restored sanity and introduced professionalism into the operational template of the Ministry of Finance. He plugged many leakages and reduced ineptitude while enhancing ease of doing business.
With these two as the eyes and ears of the equally diligent and uncompromising Governor Radda on the finances of Katsina State, I’m sure citizens of Katsina State could go to sleep with two eyes closed and wake-up to a fair and equitable deal. While congratulating the two new appointees, I pray, may Allah SWT bless their tenures with as much success as needed to propel Katsina State forward to make it shine brighter than its peers. May HE also bless the efforts of Governor Radda to make Katsina great with resounding success.
Maiwada Dammallam is the Director General, Media.
