Isiyaku Ahmed
Kano Open Government Partnership (OGP), in collaboration with the Partnership to Engage, Reform, and Learn (PERL), a public-sector accountability and governance program, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) conducted a 2-days retreat in Jigawa State to review the lapsing OGP, State Action Plan (SAP 1) to develop the SAP 11 for effective implementation.
The objectives of the retreat are to facilitate consolidation of SAP 1 review, to facilitate the development of 2021 to 2023 SAP, to link SAP 11 commitments with Kano state plans and policies and to mainstream gender and social inclusion across the SAP 11 thematic areas.
In his goodwill message, the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission (PCACC), Acting Chairman, Barr. Mahmoud Balarabe promised continued support from the government and calls for selflessness in the dispensation of duties of the State Steering Committee Members and Thematic Leads.
“I assure all that OGP in Kano will work hand-in-hand with all stakeholders to implement activities as enshrined in the state action plan” the Acting Chairman promised.
He also assured the members of a co-creative effort and the government’s unflinching commitment towards the general success of all activities’ implementation under the various thematic areas of the action plan.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the Co-Chair, Government Actors, Permanent Secretary, Executive Council Directorate, Government House, Hajia Binta Fatima Salihu refreshed participants memory to the success achieved during the induction training leading to the development of the SAP 11.
She extended gratitude to PERL, for always being available to meet the endless needs and its gracious assistance to the OGP, technically and financially, adding that the support is unquantifiable and is always appreciated.
On his part, the CS Co-Chair, Abdulrazaq Alkali said, Kano OGP have started to deliver as indicated by the early successes with the co-creation model between Government and Civil Society actors.
“Today in Dutse, the combined stakeholders have its first draft of two years SAP, a product of relentless and passionate team spirit that set a new hope for improving governance in Kano state,” he added.
Meanwhile, the OGP team worked relentlessly in the review of the SAP 1 because there are still many activities that were not implemented which need to be reflected in the development of SAP 11.
The retreat had participants from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Government actors with technical support from PERL consultants.
Stallion Times reports that OGP is a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from national and sub-national governments to promote open government, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance.
Kano state is one of the states in Nigeria that signed at sub-national level with an executive order signed by His Excellency the Governor of Kano State Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
