Lukman Abdulmalik
Women in Media Communication Initiative (WIM) in collaboration with other partners held a stakeholder dialogue to commemorate the 2023 Open Government Partnership (OGP) Week 2023 in Kano with the aim of strengthening inclusive and transparent government in the state.
The event which was held at Babale Suit on Wednesday, welcomed the National OGP, Donor partners, Civil Society Organizations, and government officials. They all chart a way to hold the Kano State Governor-elect accountable for his political campaign commitments.
In her welcome remarks, Halima Ben Umar, the Executive Director of WIM said the OGP meeting will strengthen the open relationship between CSOs and the incoming government.
“The objective of this dialogue is to commemorate OGP week 2023 through policy engagement and also secure commitments from the Governor-elect to work on the Freedom of Information Act, Kano Tax Policy, Kano State Public Health and Security Law as well as the implementation of Child Protection Law.”
In his goodwill message, the representative of Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL), Yunusa Hamza commended the Kano OGP for working in harmony to celebrate the week.
He appreciated the presence of the National OGP Coordinator and her entourage.
“The efforts of the Executive Director of WIM are highly commendable,” he added.
Hamza also assured of PERL’s continued support to OGP to attain its full potential.
In their separate goodwill messages, the National Coordinator of OGP National Secretariat, Dr. Gloria Ahmed, the representative of development Research and Projects Center, dRPC, Umar Ahmed, and the Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani promised to continue providing technical support to the Kano OGP to achieve a progressive government in Kano.
Umar Saleh Anka, a Civil Society Steering Committee member of the Kano OGP, presented a paper on climate change.
He called on the incoming government to fashion out a way to address the issues of global warming, extreme drought, widespread hunger, sea level rise, flood, mass displacement, and others, adding that it could be achieved if inclusive and accountable governance is fully implemented.
The Deputy Governor-elect, Aminu Abdulsalam, commended the organizer of the event and promised that the partnership with CSOs will be embraced to achieve better governance in Kano.
He assured that “we are going to operate open governance with a view to ensuring economic growth.
“We will ensure women’s participation in government, operate an e-government, work with a realistic budget, and provide a functional secretariat for OGP in the state.”
Abdulsalam also assured that the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-corruption Commission will be strengthened.
Amb. Ibrahim Waiya, President of the Kano State Civil Society Forum, (KSCF) said the OGP will simplify the policy implementation of the government and also provide mechanisms of feedback between the citizens and the government.
The climax of the event was panel discussions on ‘the challenges facing OGP implementation’, ‘outstanding policies and the way forward’, and ‘recommendations to the incoming executive and legislators of the state.’
