OGP Hails Budget Ministry, Poises to Promote Citizen’s Participation in Budget Circle

OGP Hails Budget Ministry, Poises to Promote Citizen’s Participation in Budget Circle

The Open Government Partnership (OGP), has commended the ministry of budget and national planning for its commitment in leading its Fiscal Transparency and Accountability (FTA) Working Group.

The National Coordinator of the OGP, Barrister Juliet Ibekeku-Nwagu, made this commendation during the first 2018 meeting of the FTA working group hosted by the ministry of budget and national planning.

The meeting was hosted under the chairmanship of the Honourable Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, who was the designated OGP State Actor and incoming co-chair.

In a remark, the minister, who was represented by Dr Ann Nzegwu, the OGP Focal person in the ministry, reminded the stakeholders on the urgent need to pay more attention to milestones and challenges in the Fiscal Transparency and Accountability ahead of the meeting of the national steering committee scheduled for this march 2018

Dr Nzegwu, is also the co-chair FTA working group and the ministry’s Focal person in the OGP

One of the cardinal commitment of the OGP, is to promote citizen’s participation in budget circle.

Other key commitments of the OGP as contained in the 2017 report are; enhancing transparency in the extractive sector and improving efficiency and effectiveness of the tax system

Others are improving ease of doing business and Nigeria’s ranking on the World Bank Doing Business Ranking Index, and also full implementation of Open contracting and adaption of Open contracting Data Standards in the public sector.

The meeting was attended by stakeholders from Ministries Departments and Agencies, Civil Society Organisations, Non Governmental Organisations and members from the Private Sector

Open Government Partnership (OGP) , is a global initiative aimed at promoting truly democratic governments by entrenching transparency and accountability principles in governance. Nigeria joined the the OGP participating countries in 2016

Signed

Salisu B. Haiba
Assistant Director (Press)