Kogi State Government on Tuesday inaugurated steering committee on Open Government Partnership (OGP) in order to sustain the culture of transparency and accountability as a mark of good governance in the state.
Secretary to Kogi State Government, Dr. Folashade Arike Ayoade while inaugurating the committee in Lokoja, said Kogi State has ever maintained the spirit of transparency and accountability, noting that the present administration has sustained the spirit.
According to her, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has so far displayed his political will to put smile on the faces of the people through inclusive governance, noting that involvement of citizens in governance was necessary for rapid development.
She stated that , the OGP was launched in 2011 for the benefit of mankind and expressed optimism that government would work in line with its commitment.
“The quest for good governance has been the yearning of well meaning Nigerians as this remains the only way to promote the well being of the people
“It was in line with this that the present administration of His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo deemed it necessary to inaugurate the steering committee on Open Government Partnership, OGP to further proof its stance on accountability,” he said.
In his speech, the Co- Chairman and Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Asiwaju Idris Asiru stated that the immediate past administration built its successes on the principle of accountability as exemplified through open display of budgets and other vital information to the public.
Also in his address, the Chairman of Kogi NGOs Network who is also Co-chairman, Ambassador Idris Ozovehe Muraina emphasized that efforts should be intensified beyond inauguration, calling for proper collaboration to ensure inclusive governance.
The representative of OGP Secretariat in Abuja, Tijani Abdulrahman said the the state action plan should be made available as it remains the only way to attainment of set objectives.
Other Members of the state steering committee are some commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, as well as some heads of critical agencies, while the Vice Chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists, Kogi State chapter, Alhaji Ibrahim Obansa is one of the non state actors.
