Governor Adeleke Signs Letter of Intent to Join Open Government Partnership Nigeria

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) Nigeria Secretariat on Friday 16th February, 2024; received the letter of intent to join OGP signed by the Osun State Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke. This occurred barely three (3) days after Kwali Area Council in the FCT, submitted their letter of intent to join the partnership.

In his letter, the Osun State Governor stated… “This is to further strengthen the Public Financial Management Reform already embarked upon and carefully executed by my administration to promote transparency, accountability, citizen participation, technology and innovation”.

Governor Adeleke went on to highlight Osun State’s eligibility to sign up for OGP, these includes meeting up with a minimum requirement of having taken some major reform steps towards open and participatory government. In Fiscal Transparency, Osun State had enacted the Internal Revenue Codification and Harmonization Law 2019; giving tax payers access to codes and rates payable on revenue.

Also, the State’s Public Procurement Agency aligns it’s activities to the Public Procurement Law 2019 (Amended); Citizens Consultative Forums are held in the 3 Senatorial Districts to harvest the needs of citizens and improve citizens participation in governance. ‘The needs serve as inputs into the programmes and projects of the Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) and the Annual Budgets’, the Governor stated.

To further engage with citizens, Osun State runs a radio programme ‘IPADE IMOLE’ where citizens are informed about the Government’s programmes and projects, and feedbacks are collated. Other reform steps taken by the state include the Freedom of Information Law, which is almost completed; and the mandatory asset disclosure by public officials.

The Governor informed the Secretariat that he has directed the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development, Professor Morufu Ademola Adeleke to lead the OGP process in the State. Governor Adeleke expressed his desire for the OGP Secretariat and other stakeholders to work with the Osun State Government in developing the State’s first OGP Action Plan.

Osun’s membership will bring the number of Nigerian States in OGP to 26, including 3 local governments all in the FCT – AMAC, Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils.