The Open Government Partnership (OGP) has received support to the tune of $250 million, as disclosed by the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba.
This was disclosed at the 2021 Open Government Partnership week and National Steering Committee Interactive Session with Thematic Working Groups convened by the ministry.
Agba said, ‘‘We secured the budget line; we have not started the budget line. It is about 250m to take care of OGP activities. Since 2016, we never had budget line; it has always being 100% supported by development partners.
“It is a way of ensuring sustainability of OGP and taking full ownership of it with all the experience to create budget line.”
As part of the foundations for the creation of the OGP, the minister said that the Federal Government had done well in the aspect of transparency, among three others.
He said, “²We have done well in three key areas, around budget process, the transparency we have there. There are rooms for improvement. Now that we have taken some steps, it means we are in right direction. We are beginning to mature, so we are expected to do more.
READ ALSO: Declining Inflation Rate Shows Bias in CPI Basket – Analysts
“What we should be doing going forward, I suggest that we should raise early warning signs of the possibility of implementing Action Plan; measure a new part of the work by working closely with; work on sustainability plan of the work so that the impact of the work can outlive the implementation, and more importantly affect the lives of people; for us to work with the secretariat to develop communicate plans for the work that they are currently doing.
“There are five basic principles about the NAP, whether NAP I or 2. It is to ensure there is inclusiveness, transparency, integrity in that we do.
“For me, citizens need to be informed that government is with them, for them and not forgetting them.
“Revenue from donors have been dwindling, however, we will continue to have budget line to support.”
Open Government Partnership
The organisation was formed in 2011 by 78 countries and 76 local governments alongside civil society organisations.
According to the organisation’s webiste, its was formed to espouse “transparent, participatory, inclusive and accountable governance.”
