By Kingsley Agim and Trinity Ofem
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Budget, Monitoring and Evaluation, Comrade Otu Otu-ita has showered praise on his principal Sir Ben Ayade for signing up partnerships that aims to ensure good governance in Cross River State.
This commendation was made when he flagged off the ongoing 3-day Open Governance Partnership meeting in Calabar, he said Governor Ayade penchant for good governance and accountability has initiated policies and programmes that are reforming the system with palpable evidences to show for it.
The SA Budget also thanked the Governor for signing up for the OGP programme which he emphasized, is going to provide solutions to teething issues bothering on priorities and people-centred.
Comrade Otu charged government officials and civil society organizations in the event to take the meeting seriously, bringing their inputs in line with priority areas that would portend a better Cross River State for all.
He further averred that the meeting will avail the citizens the opportunity to know what government is doing, as well as make clearer the yearnings and aspirations of the governed.
In his remarks, the OGP Project Lead, Uchenna Arisoku stated that the OGP platform is where government and civil society actors come together to reform the governance process to be more open, transparent, participatory and citizens-driven.
Buttressing his points, he further emphasized that it is a means of providing local solutions to local problems through government and CSO stakeholders participation.
The Project Lead also explained that participating states/countries are expected to adhere to the following principles: Acknowledge that people all around the world are demanding more openness in government. They are calling for greater civic participation in public affairs, and seeking ways to make their governments more transparent, responsive, accountable, and effective; Recognize that countries are at different stages in their efforts to promote openness in government, and that each of us pursues an approach consistent with our national priorities and circumstances and the aspirations of our citizens; accept responsibility for seizing this moment to strengthen our commitments to promote transparency, fight corruption, empower citizens, and harness the power of new technologies to make government more effective and accountable.
He added that “upholding the value of openness in our engagement with citizens to improve services, manage public resources, promote innovation, and create safer communities. We embrace principles of transparency and open government with a view toward achieving greater prosperity, well-being, and human dignity in our own countries and in an increasingly interconnected world,” also remains a cardinal principle.
Speaking on behalf of the Civil Society Organizations, Obase-Okanke Ofem of Charles Edet Effiong Foundation, described the forum as an opportunity for stakeholders networking to better the lot of governance in the State.
Mr. Ofem, who is the Executive Director of the Foundation, spoke highly of the seamless relationship between the Cross River State Government and Civil Society Organizations, noting that the CSOs try to make things easier for government, while government is also expected to listen to opinion of such organizations; making it a win-win for the State.
The OGP stakeholders forum which began yesterday is expected to end tomorrow, Thursday, 14th October, 2021.
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