Open Governance: BPSR, CeFTIW Unveil Report on Transparency in MDAs

Open Governance: BPSR, CeFTIW Unveil Report on Transparency in MDAs

The Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CeFTIW) has said that its study has shown remarkable improvement in the performance of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the core areas of open governance and transparency in Nigeria.

The Chairman, CeFTIW Board of Trustees, Amb. Angela Nworgu, confirmed this in Abuja, while presenting Transparency and Integrity Index, Public Service Diaries and Probes Monitor Portals, jointly conducted with the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR).

She said the ultimate goal of the event was in furtherance of the commitment of the Federal Government and the center’s efforts at promoting transparency and accountability in the nation’s public service, and good governance in general.

The BoT Chairman explained that the initiative was developed to monitor public sector expenditure and provide same to the public. It also monitors issues relating to the integrity of public officers as well as public institutions’ responsiveness to public scrutiny.

Amb. Nworgu said, “Today, we are gathered to present three of our other interventions aimed at promoting transparency in the public sector.

“Firstly, the Transparency and Integrity Index (TII) is one of the Center’s flagship projects supported by the MacArthur Foundation. It was borne out of the need to strengthen existing preventive mechanisms in combating corruption; especially given the concern that huge resources are deployed every year to prosecute corruption without corresponding decrease in incidents.

“Secondly, today’s program will see the presentation of the Public Service Diaries platform developed in partnership with the BPSR. The PSD project leverages technology to create a platform for knowledge sharing between retired public servants and existing public officers”.

Earlier speaking, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said the CFTiw initiative by to conduct a Transparency and Integrity Index Assessment for MDAs and other relevant government agencies, is commendable and a welcomed development towards entrenching accountability and good governance.

He said the NGO deployed the use of some parameters to ensure that the set objectives of the project are achievable.

Similarly, the BPSR DG, Dasuki I. Arabi, described the assessment as another milestone that encourages peer review mechanism aimed at stimulating competitiveness for better performances and as well, ensure the compliance to critical indices required for national development by MDAs.

The DG highlighted some of the credible gains made by his bureau in initiating reforms, with the introduction of the reforms in Public Financial Management, where fiscal instruments have successfully blocked leakages and brought about probity in the Public Financial System in Nigeria.

By PRNigeria