The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (CentreLSD) has urged the government of Nigeria to institute a law around the Open Government Partnership (OGP).

CentreLSD said institutionalising the OGP in Africa’s most populous country is a matter of ‘urgent national importance’.

The OGP is an international initiative aimed at promoting open governance, citizen’s empowerment, fight corruption, and harness new technology to strengthen governance in member states.

A statement by the CentreLSD Executive Director, Monday Osasah, said since Nigeria was confirmed as a members of the OGP in 2016, the need to get it institutionalised to usher in desired reforms cannot be overemphasised.

The OGP, according to Osasah, will provide Nigeria an opportunity to make improvements in transparency, accountability and citizens engagement in governance.

The institutionalisation of the OGP and the passage of the relevant bills, he added, will not only help in the country’s anti-corruption drive but also help to pass a strong message to the international community especially those countries or jurisdictions hosting and withholding our stolen funds.

The statement commended the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for signing the Proceeds of Crime Bill (POCA) into law.

‘The POCA, in a related manner, will ensure a more collaborative work amongst the anti-corruption agencies to addressing the problems of corruption in Nigeria’, Osasah said.

The CentreLSD boss also urged the National Assembly to consider other pending bills, like the whistleblower protection bill and the witness protection bill, and quickly pass them.

OGP data shows that Nigeria is currently implementing 16 commitments from their 2019 to 2022 OGP action plan.

This action plan features commitments related to fiscal transparency, anti-corruption, extractive transparency, inclusiveness, and public service delivery.

Photo source: OGP Nigeria