Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, southwest Nigeria, has expressed confidence that the Open Government Partnership (OGP) initiative will improve citizens’ standard of living.
The governor made the remark while inaugurating the steering committee of OGP in the state following the approval of Ekiti State as a member of the multi-stakeholder initiative.
Development Diaries gathered that Fayemi, who inaugurated the committee at the governor’s office, Ado-Ekiti, said that the OGP initiative was in consonance with his restoration agenda.
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.
Fayemi said that OGP would further strengthen his administration’s reforms in open budget, open contracting, revenue transparency, beneficial ownership transparency, assets disclosure, access to information, citizens’ engagement, and empowerment.
‘As a responsible government, we have always insisted that all government functionaries demonstrate the understanding of accountability and transparency in their various activities’, the governor said.
‘The policy areas are the right to information, gender and inclusion, digital governance and rights, protection of civic space and natural resources, and fight against corruption’.
The steering committee will be coordinated by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon. Femi Ajayi.
Other members include the Director-General, Office of Transformation and Service Delivery (OTSD), Prof. Mobolaji Aluko; Special Advisor, Bureau of Public Procurement, Mr O’Seun Odewale; Permanent Secretary (Finance) Mr Folorunso; Permanent Secretary (Budget) Mr Adeleke Adefolaju; Accountant General, Mrs Titilayo Olayinka, and Special Advisor (CSO), Mr Biodun Oluleye.
Members of the steering committee were selected from civil society organisations (CSOs), professional bodies, youth parliaments, public service, and other interest groups, according to the governor.
It is understood that 78 countries and a growing number of local governments, representing more than two billion people, along with thousands of CSOs are members of OGP.
Source: Ekiti State Government
Photo source: Ekiti State Government
