CSO Tasks Gov. Ododo on Political will for implementation of OGP

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja

Civil Society Organizations and Media stakeholders in Kogi have called on Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to deploy adequate political for implementation of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) through engagement in Dialogue Mechanism.

The Stakeholders who made the call on Saturday in Lokoja at a One-day Capacity Building on Permanent Dialogue Mechanism organized by Stallion Times Media Services, said all that mattered in implementing the OGP Action Plan was the governor’s political will.

They recalled that periodic Town Hall Meeting was one of the key commitments the governor made during his electioneering campaigns.

The workshop was organized by Stallion Times Media Services as part of its implementation of the Participatory Governance and Media Literacy Project tagged “Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve (G-DRIP)” in Kano and Kogi states.

The project is being implemented under the Collaboration for Media Independence and Government Accountability supported by the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism and funded by MacArthur Foundation.

In his opening remarks, Isiyaku Ahmed, Managing Director of Stallion Times and Coordinator of the project, said the Town Hall meetings would help advance citizens’ engagement in governance, a model which would also help evolve the Theory of Change using the OGP.

He urged the government to display enough political will and commitment to the implementation the Open Government Partnership state Action Plan by upholding its promise of Dialogue Mechanism.

“If this continues throughout the four-year life span of an administration, it becomes a Permanent Dialogue Mechanism and if it is yielding results, successive governments will have no option than to sustain it.

“The tool to make this happen is the OGP which is a tool for transparency and accountability with different thematic areas touching on every aspect of the economy”, he said.

In his goodwill message to the occasion, Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo on Media, Ismail Isah, said the Governor was committed to the ideals of openness in governance.

He said that it was against this backdrop that the governor had led a transparent and accountable government in the last 90 days.

One of the Co-Chairpersons of the OGP Kogi State Steering Committee, Amb. Idris Ozovehe Muraina, in his “Heartfelt Goodwill Message”, said the committee was committed to fostering transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in governance.

“This capacity building session marks a significant milestone in our collective journey towards building open, inclusive, and responsive government systems that truly serve the needs and aspirations of our citizens.

“The establishment of a robust Permanent Dialogue Mechanism is crucial in ensuring that the voices of all stakeholders, including civil society organizations, government agencies, and citizens are heard and integrated into the decision-making processes of the state”, Muraina said.

The workshop featured “Definition and Characteristics of an Effective Coalition” by Isiyaku Ahmed, MD/CEO, Stallion Times.

Also featured are “Civil Society and the OGP in Nigeria – Practice and Prospects”, and “Effective Advocacy – Concepts, Principles, Techniques, Tools and Skills by Uchenna Arisukwu, CS Adviser, OGP National Secretariat, Abuja.

The workshop had in attendance representatives Government, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Council of Ulamah, CSOs, MDAs, PWDs and the Media.