By Sani Idris Abdulrahman
At a one-day virtual meeting, held on May 23, 2025, to celebrate Open Government Partnership (OGP) Week with the theme "Building Trust Through Infrastructure Transparency Initiatives" in Kaduna State, stakeholders have called for enhanced transparency in infrastructure development.
This, was contained in a communique signed by Stephen Waya, Co-chair OCDS & OC4IDS, and Bilkisu Ibrahim, Assistant Secretary OCDS & OC4IDS and issued to newsmen on Monday in Kaduna.
The meeting, facilitated by the Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment & Development (CALPED), brought together stakeholders from various sectors.
The objectives of the engagement were to promote transparency and accountability in infrastructure development processes, strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) and media partners, share good practices and success stories, and identify challenges and develop actionable solutions.
The dialogue featured five interactive presentations, including an overview of OGP Week by CSOs Co-chair OGP Kaduna State, progress and challenges affecting OCDS & OC4IDS, overview of Construction Sector Transparency Initiatives (CoST), update on strategic steps by Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority (KADPPA), and strategies for CSOs and media to engage in infrastructure transparency initiatives.
Key observations included KADPPA's core functions, progress in increasing knowledge among personnel, and efforts to enhance transparency in the infrastructure sector. However, delays in enhancing procurement data timelines and comprehensiveness, and integrating Microsoft Navision and Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) into the e-procurement portal, were noted.
Stakeholders commended the collective efforts of state and non-state actors in adopting infrastructure transparency initiatives. Concerns were raised about the lack of commitment from procuring agencies in making data available and accessible, and the need for strong political support to penalize MDAs or individuals resisting transparency efforts.
The meeting observed that lack of quality and availability of comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date data on infrastructure projects has led to inefficiency and degradation in infrastructure quality.
Stakeholders recognized the important role technology can play in facilitating transparency but noted concerns about digital literacy and infrastructure in some MDAs.
The Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST) aims to improve transparency and accountability in public infrastructure projects.
Progress has been made, but challenges remain.
Addressing these requires a multi-faceted approach, including strengthening legal frameworks, enhancing public engagement, and fostering a culture of accountability.
Resolutions included advocating for high-level policy changes, such as uploading procurement data on MDA websites, establishing a Youth/Students Community of Practice on open contracting, and enhancing procurement systems for Local Government Areas. Other resolutions included advocating for the immediate reconstitution of the Public Procurement Board, development of a Formal Disclosure Mandate, and annual releases of procurement audit reports.
Stakeholders agreed to engage comprehensively throughout the entire budget and project cycle and called on CSOs and media partners to build a strong coalition, conduct investigative journalism, and hold stakeholders accountable.
The Technical Working Group (TWG) will hold regular meetings with key stakeholders to strengthen collaboration.
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