By Iliya Kure
Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna State, in northern Nigeria, says his administration is ever ready to share public document and information with citizens, adding that, gone were the days when public officials hide documents from citizens.
He said his administration, since coming to power in May 2015, commenced disclosure and making available all relevant document to citizens, saying he had been running an open door policies, where residents of Kaduna interact with government officials for development of the state.
Inaugurating Kaduna State Steering Committee of ‘Open Government Partnership’ (OGP), the governor said, the technological breakthrough today has made things open, and there was no more secrecy in governance. The OGP is aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability and citizen participation in governance,
Mr. El-Rufai said, he had already tasked government officials on openness and being accountable in their respective areas of responsibilities.
Said he, “I always tell my officials to be conversant with what they do because there is no more 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 bid for contract where any contractor within and outside the state can apply”, the governor said.
The civil society Co-Chair of the OGP Kaduna, Malam Mustapha Jumare commended Kaduna State Government for the bold step in being the first state to embrace the partnership at the sub-national levy, saying it is a demonstration of willingness to subject ones self to public scrutiny.
He said civil society organisations are ever ready and willing to work with Kaduna State Government in ensuring the achievement of the OGP objectives.
“I want to assure you that as civil society organisations we are ever ready to support the process, and ensure that OGP works in Kaduna, and that its objectives are achieved.
Also speaking, Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), who is also the Co-Chair of the OGP Nigeria, Edetaen Ojo, said OGP is premised on partnership between government and civil society which for many fail to come to terms with, especially the government and civil society themselves.
“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 remain opened to suggestions from the CSOs saying, once they are achieved the credit goes to him, adding, “nobody would be bothered with trying to find out whose ideas they were originally,” he added.