African Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development Centre LSD is currently pushing for the promotion of accountability in government through the implementation of open government partnerships.
Open government Partnerships is an international multi-stakeholder initiative which was launched on 20th September 2011 to provide an international platform for domestic reformers to make their government’s more open,accountable and responsive to their citizens.
Monday Osasah,the Programme Cordinator while briefing newsmen on Tuesday said the call has become necessary, due largely to the several commitments the Nigerian government has made with the global community,and to deepen openess and transparency in governance.
“For instance,the Nigerian government made several commitments in the recent Anti-corruption summit in London which the federal government participated in actively.Such commitments is basically focused on exposing corruption in the system through local and international collaborations”Osasa said in Abuja at a media interaction.
Nigeria government in a statement from the London anti-corruption summit in May this year made a global committment towards anti-corruption fight,while stating that,”Nigeria committs to deploying public-private information sharing partnerships to bring together government,law enforcement,regulators and the financial sector to detect,prevent and disrupt money lanudering linked to corruption”
The statement notes further that,”The federal government will work together with interested countries to share information between respective Public-private partnerships to ensure the most effective response to international money laundering”
Osasa,in response to these commitments said such commitments by the federal government must be government by fiscal transparency,Access to information,Anti-corruption and asset disclosure, in addition to citizens engagement.
The programme director pointed out that,”In terms of fiscal transparency,there should be timely publication of essential budget documents. There should be an access to information law that guarantees the public’s income right to information. In addition,there should be rules that require public disclosure of assets for elected and senior public officials”
While lauding the federal government efforts in deepening institutional and Policy reforms,by the joining the Open Government Participation,in July 2016,he further called on the government to deepen participation by the Ministries,Departments and Agencies of government and other key governmental institutions,to ensure transparency in government is deepened.
HARRISON EDEH, ABUJA
