Stakeholders in the public sector as well as Civil Society Organizations have deliberated on ways to co-creatively build an enabling environment, in order to strengthen the implementation of Open Government Partnership action plans at the National and sub-national levels.
Speaking at the 2nd Quarter Thematic Working Group Meeting which held at Grand Ibro Hotel, Abuja, on Monday, 18th July, 2022, the National Coordinator, Nigeria Open Government Partnership (OGP), Dr. Gloria K. Ahmed said that this will be the last TWG meeting to be held under the co-chairmanship led by the Honorable Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, who is a State Actor.
The Budget and National Planning Minister has consistently created channels which includes citizens in Government-related activities, by meeting not less than ten Civil Society Organizations on weekly basis.
In her presentation tagged; ‘New Perspectives for Open Government Partnership(OGP) Implementation in Nigeria’, the OGP National Coordinator said that Nigeria must work within the sphere of the new structure for the OGP participation and co-creation standards which is anchored on transparency, Inclusive participation, accountability as well as Innovation and ambition.
“Nigeria must work within the ambits of the new structure for the OGP participation and co-creation standards which is anchored on four overarching principles that should guide any country’s participation in OGP. They include Transparency; Inclusive participation, Accountability and; Innovation and ambition.
“The Africa regional meeting of the OGP is planned for November 2022 in Morocco. Nigeria should begin earnest preparations for its participation.” She stated.
Highlighting some of the issues affecting the implementation of Open Government Partnership in Nigeria, Dr. Ahmed disclosed that thus far, the Nigerian OGP implementation have shown promises of progress, albeit slowly.
According to her; “the following issues characterized OGP implementation thus far: None institutionalization of a performance management system under NAP I and a better part of NAP II, Production of evidence based progress reports, Absence of credible data and documentation, Absence of a communication strategy
and Poor synergy between the OGP stakeholders.”
While listing out planned activities by the OGP secretariat, Dr. Ahmed noted that the Secretariat will continue to involve thematic working group members in activities of the Secretariat.
It will be recalled that Nigeria joined the Open Government Partnership in July 2016, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment at the May 2016 London Anti-Corruption Summit as an avenue of further deepening institutional and policy reforms.
There came a need for the president during the summit to commit to two things; the beneficial ownership register and then joining the Open Government Partnership.