Kano reaffirms commitment to transparency, accountability through Open Government Partnership

The Kano State Government says it is committed to strengthening accountability, transparency, and citizens’ participation in governance through the Open Government Partnership (OGP) mechanism.

The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Gov. Abba Yusuf on Open Government Partnership, Mr Musaddiq Kabir-Hassan, stated this shortly after the Non-State Actors’ election on Thursday in Kano.

He said a few months ago, the governor appointed five Commissioners, four Permanent Secretaries, and a Director to serve on the government side of the OGP.

Kabir-Hassan explained that the officials would work alongside representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) elected to collaborate on key priority areas.

The SSA listed the areas as access to information, access to justice, citizens’ engagement, anti-corruption, service delivery, and climate change.

“The governor wants complete revitalisation of these critical and innovative sectors. In service delivery, we are working on agriculture, education, water supply, and health,” he said.

He added that the government would also put in place a strong mechanism to ensure that the state’s Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission operates with full autonomy.

“I assure you that in three months’ time, you will see many projects driven by OGP,” Kabir-Hassan said.

Mr Uchenna Arisukwu, the Civil Society Adviser, OGP Nigeria, said: “OGP survives only where there is political will.”

He therefore commended the governor, noting that even before assuming office he was committed to promoting and implementing the OGP.

In his remarks, Mr Abdulrahman Abdu, the newly elected Co-Chair of CSOs for Kano State OGP, pledged to focus on uniting members who would work with the OGP.

He said many CSOs do not know much about how the OGP operates, insisting that it was a partnership that required commitment from both government and the CSOs.

This, according to him, will help to ensure quality service delivery for the people of the state.