Bauchi State Government on Tuesday inaugurated the state’s Steering Committee on Open Government Partnership (OGP) with members from Government and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
The Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Ibrahim Kashim while inaugurating the committee at the new Banquet Hall, Government House, Bauchi said the state government has since signed into the OGP in order to enjoy the full portfolio of OGP processes, capacities and benefits attached.
He said the inauguration of the State Steering Committee is a clear commitment of the present administration towards ensuring that Bauchi State joins other states in the country in the implementation of global best practices relating to OGP thus bringing the citizens more closer to the government.
Barrister Kashim, who is the State Co-Chairman of the Steering Committee, recalled that, Open Government Partnership is an international multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving transparency, accountability, citizen participation and responsiveness to citizens through technology and innovation.
According to him, the Open Government Partnership remains a viable platform for Civil Society Organizations to constructively engage government at all levels on an ongoing, real-time basis, thereby ensuring more responsive governance.
The SSG also noted that, the OGP engagements, stand as a strategic sustainability pillar for the World Bank’s SFTAS grants to the states – helping OGP States to become committed to continuous implementation of the principles of open and transparent governance, as contained in the SFTAS disbursement linked indicators (DLIS) within the OGP co- creation approach and monitored through the independent report mechanism of the global OGP forum.
“Specific benefits of formalizing OGP membership for Bauchi State and its citizens include, but are not limited to enabling government and civil society to work together to develop action plans with concrete steps and commitments across a broad range of issues. The Open Government Partnership is based on the idea that an open government is more accessible, more responsive, and more accountable to citizens, and that improving the relationship between people and their government has long-term, exponential benefits for everyone.
“Being part of the OGP creates an opportunity for the Government together with the CSOs, Private Sector, the Media, and Citizens to raise the collective ambition and transformative power of the OGP to collectively tackle the biggest societal challenges facing the country at the moment like poverty, inequality, exclusion, corruption, human rights violations, and poor service delivery. OGP offers a platform that allows fairness, equity, and opportunities for citizens in policy making, including those from marginalized groups, and an ongoing voice in political processes beyond that of voting in elections.”
On her part, the Co-Chair of Non-State Actors, Maryam Garba commended the state government for the inauguration of the committee and assured that Civil Society Organizations in the state will support the initiative for its effective implementation.
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