The National Team Leader of the DFID Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL), Dr. Adiya Ode has urged government functionaries at all levels in Nigeria to engage and carry the citizens along in policy formulations, programmes and activities from the conception, planning to implementation stages.
Ode made the call during an Open Government Partnership Review Forum which was organised by PERL, a programme of the Department for International Development (DFID) and was attended by participants drawn from states across the country.
Adiya emphasized the need for the government to be open and work with the citizens in line with the principles of OGP which include transparency, accountability, citizens engagement as well as technology and innovation.
She also charged the focal persons in the state that have signed in to OGP to intensity efforts in strengthening and concretising the process so to ensure effective service delivery for the good of the citizenry.
While about ten states have signed in to OGP, none of the South West state joined and this has been a source of worry for concerned stakeholders.
The Executive Director of New Initiative for Social Development (NISD) in Ekiti state, Mr Abiodun Oyeleye has however said the Ekiti state government under the leadership of John Kayode Fayemi is ready to sign to Open Government Partnership (OGP).
Oyeleye expressed optimism that the new administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi would be sign in to Open Government Partnership without delay, saying that the people of Ekiti state would benefit immensely from the initiative.
According to him, “Ekiti State is yet to sign into OGP, and with new administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi, , Ekiti stands best chance to be the first state to sign in to OGP among South West States.”
“In going forward, Civil Society Organisations/Non-State Actors (NSAs) needs to be educated about what is OGP, processes, principles and benefits to Ekiti State,” Oyeleye said.
In his remarks, the DFID/PERL Partnership Facilitator, Dr James Zasha said effective co-coordination is very important for success of OGP and urged participants to step up their commitment for the attainment of the goals of OGP in Nigeria.
During the meeting, the OGP steering committee members from Kano, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Anambra, Niger, Enugu, Abia, Ekiti, Jigawa, Edo, Kogi and Bauchi states shared experiences, challenges and rendered progress reports.
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