NAN-H-14
Governance
By Okon Okon
Abuja, Sept. 13, 2017 (NAN) African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (ACLSD), a civil society group, has called for the adoption of Open Government Partnership to promote accountability and transparency in government.
The Executive Director of the centre, Dr Otive Igbuzor, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Cue in audio (Igbuzor)
“The open government partnership is a global movement for the promotion of transparency and accountability in government.
“The President Muhammadu Buhari administration joined the open government partnership in July 2016 as the 70th member of the group of governments and citizens across the world that are trying to open up government and ensure that the resources of government deliver services to citizens.
“And the Nigerian government and citizens group came together in Nov. 2016 and crafted 14 commitments in a national action plan.
“And in the spirit of co-creation, joint ownership and co-ownership, government and citizens made the commitment to look at laws that can promote transparency and accountability in Nigeria.“
Cue out audio
Igbuzor said that the partnership, when adopted, would create a situation whereby citizens would participate actively in the budgetary process, hence a reduction in the level 9of corruption in the society.
“If government’s policies and laws are well implemented, what will happen is that, you will come to a situation where citizens will participate in the budgetary process.
“So, bureaucrats will no longer sit down in their offices and just locate projects.
“Citizens will be able to make input in project development as well as transparent contract allocation and implementation, among other things.
“It will no longer be possible for contractors to just collect money and not do the work.
“So, more services will come to the citizens and the standard of living and quality of life of citizens will improve, “ he said. (NAN)
MZM/ YEE
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Edited by Emmanuel Yashim