Kano State Governor, Dr Umar Ganduje has inaugurated the State Steering Committee on Open Government Partnership (OGP) to further strengthen efforts for good governance to thrive in the state.
The committee was inaugurated during the state Executive Council meeting at Africa House, Government House, Kano.
Ganduje gave assurances of his continued support to all objectives of the OGP, acknowledging how the partnership helped the state transparency and accountability posture in his first tenure.
“We always believe that Open Government Partnership must be supported. Hence our commitment and support since when it was introduced to us, as a government during my first tenure in office,” he said.
The Committee consists of nine members from the government side, another nine from the Civil Society Groups and two more Advisers from the government side. The Permanent Secretary Council Affairs and Abdulrazaq Alkali from Organisation for Community Civic Engagement (OCCEN) are the Co-Chairs of the Committee.
The Co-Chairman from the civil society Alkali said the forming of the steering committee was the sole decision of the governor to run an open government hinged on transparency and accountability, promising that all the members will contribute their best to ensure that the set objectives are achieved.
“We are here today because of your single action. That single action is that you decided without any pressure from any quarter from civil society or any quarter, to join OGP in Kano state.
“We believe that this is a testimony and a commitment from your part to run an administration with more transparency and accountability in Kano state,” Alkali said.
He also assured that they would strive hard to work with the government side of the OGP leadership to ensure that good policies and programmes of the regime are publicised for the overall development of the state.
With the signing of the OGP Executive Order, during the first tenure of Governor Ganduje, the State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, under Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, houses the Secretariat of OGP in the state.
Rimingado’s untiring effort in the area of fight against corruption creates opportunities for the state’s sojourn towards a corruption-free society. A Development acknowledged by the governor times without number and part of the major reasons why Kano excels in the area of OGP activities in the country.
Zainab Sa’id
