Northern Pulse

By Sani Idris Abdulrahman

Gov. Dikko Radda of Katsina State has inaugurated the Open Government Partnership (OGP) steering committee for the state as a major step toward institutionalising transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in governance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inauguration took place during a two-day capacity building and development of OGP State Action Plan on Wednesday in Kaduna.

In his inaugural address, Radda, represented by Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Abdullahi Faskari, described the event as a historic milestone in the state’s journey toward open, inclusive, and responsive governance.

He said the OGP, launched in 2011, has evolved into a global movement of reformers committed to ensuring governments work for citizens rather than institutions.

According to him, Katsina’s participation demonstrates its resolve to align governance processes with international best practices while responding to local realities and development priorities.

The governor formally constituted the State Steering Committee as the highest decision-making and oversight body for OGP implementation in Katsina State.

He explained that the committee would provide strategic direction and policy guidance, ensure high-level political ownership of reforms, and approve the development and implementation of the State Action Plan.

Radda added that the body would promote collaboration between government institutions and civil society organisations, mobilise resources, foster partnerships with development partners, and monitor progress on OGP commitments.

He said the committee would also resolve policy-level challenges that may arise during implementation to ensure reforms are sustained and impactful.

The governor stressed that the success of OGP depends on inclusiveness, integrity, and shared leadership between state actors and non-state stakeholders.

He declared that governance in Katsina must be open, participatory, and accountable, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to strengthening public trust and improving service delivery.

The Katsina Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Malam Malik Anas, described it as a significant milestone in the reform process.

Malik, who doubled as the Government Co-Chair on the OGP, emphasised that the reforms require coordinated efforts across ministries, departments, and agencies to achieve meaningful outcomes.

He praised civil society partners for their dedication, stating that OGP is built on co-creation, where government and civil society collaboratively design and implement reforms.

According to him, Katsina’s participation reflects its determination to institutionalise fiscal transparency, enhance public accountability, improve access to information, and strengthen service delivery.

He assured that the ministry would provide leadership and coordination to refine the zero draft State Action Plan, agree on measurable commitments, and establish frameworks for implementation, monitoring, and reporting.

The Civil Society Co-Chair, Dr Bashir Ruwan-Godiya, thanked the governor for committing the state to the global OGP initiative and supporting the formal inauguration of the committee.

He described transparency, accountability, and citizen participation as fundamental pillars of democratic leadership and sustainable development.

Ruwan-Godiya noted that Katsina had already demonstrated elements of open governance through existing laws, policies, and institutions, including fiscal responsibility and anti-corruption frameworks.

He said formal participation in OGP would consolidate these efforts and produce better outcomes for citizens through improved governance and resource management.

He disclosed that the State Steering Committee comprises eight members with equal representation from government and civil society, including two co-chairs.

Ruwan-Godiya said the initiative would focus on three thematic areas: fiscal transparency, peace building, social cohesion, and climate change.

“Each thematic area will have a technical working group comprising representatives from government and civil society to develop and implement commitments under the State Action Plan,” he said.

Ruwan-Godiya appealed to the governor to participate in forthcoming global OGP forums to showcase Katsina’s reforms and strengthen partnerships with international stakeholders.

He assured that civil society organisations remain committed to working with the government to ensure that OGP delivers tangible improvements in governance and the welfare of citizens across Katsina State.(NAN)