From Sola Ojo, Kaduna

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday said with the technological breakthrough in the world today, there is no more secrecy in governance hence, the need for government officials to be conversant with their respective areas of responsibilities.

The governor said this when he inaugurated the steering committee on Open Government Partnership (OGP).

He  said the call became necessary owing to the fact that citizens now have access to recording devices where whatever any government officials say can be reproduced and interpreted at anytime.

Kaduna State government had, on Monday commenced implementation of the Federal Government’s OGP, aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability and citizen participation in governance.

The governor said since inception of his administration, he has made efforts to be transparent in governance, through various means, including open-door policies where citizens can interact constructively with government officials to see how to collectively move the state forward.

“I always tell my officials to be conversant with what they do because, there is no secret in what we do any longer. If, as a government official, you make a speech today and you read that same on a media platforms later, how will you feel? That is why we are transparent in what we do in the state, as a government. “We publish our programmes, including bids for contract ,where any contractor within and outside the state can apply,” El-Rufai said.

On his part, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and Co-Chair of the OGP Nigeria, Edetaen Ojo, said the essential pillar and philosophy of the OGP is the concept of partnership between government and civil society which is sometimes difficult for many people on both sides to grasp and apply…

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as the relationship between government and civil society was often complicated.

“Government has to work with CSOs to develop and implement the OGP action plans, which contain priorities that have been jointly agreed upon.

“The OGP process also encourages members to establish institutional mechanisms for ongoing dialogue and collaboration between government and CSOs, which runs through the process”, he said.

He urged Governor El-Rufai to take good ideas from CSOs very seriously and appropriate them as his, noting that, at the end of the day, people will remember his great achievements and would not be bothered with trying to find out whose ideas they were originally, in as much as it affect their lives positively.

Earlier in his welcome address, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning in the state, Muhammad Abdullahi said, the OGP is a child of intensive brainchild of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Development Partners, Private Investigators, Media and Government officials to ensure fiscal transparency, access to education, information and citizens engagement and empowerment among others.

According to him, the step will improve the state’s ability to attract foreign investment and enhance access to additional development funds.

There were remarks from Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and Co-Chair OGP National Steering Committee, Abubakar Malami,  52 CSOs, government officials, lawmakers both from National and state levels among others.