Kogi State Government Inaugurates Open Government Partnership Steering Committee

The Kogi State government has inaugurated a steering committee on the Open Government Partnership (OGP) to enhance citizens’ participation in governance.

Dr. Folashade Arike Ayoade, the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, inaugurated the committee, emphasizing that transparency and accountability have been fundamental in the past eight years of the immediate past administration of Yahaya Bello.

Ayoade explained that the OGP is a multilateral initiative aimed at securing concrete commitments from national and sub-national governments to promote open government, empower citizens, fight corruption, and leverage new technologies to strengthen governance.

She highlighted that the program will position Kogi State on the global stage in the areas of transparency, accountability, and citizen participation.

The SSG stated, “The involvement of citizens in governance has assumed a whole new dimension with the appointment of men and women at all levels of government. Adopting the OGP principles will provide a stronger platform that will deepen the existing citizen participation that is already fostered in the State.”

She also emphasized the importance of civil society organizations’ involvement in ensuring effective citizen participation and accountability.

The Kogi State Commissioner for Finance Budget and Economic Planning, Asiwaju Ashiru Idris, and the State Chairperson of Kogi NGOs Network (KOGONET), Idris Ozovehe Muriana, are expected to co-chair the State Steering Committee.