Tech means “no more secrecy” in governance, El-Rufai warns

Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai says current state of technology means no more secrecy in governance, making it needful for government officials to be conversant with their areas of responsibilities. He spoke while inaugurating the steering committee on Open Government Partnership (OGP), insisting citizens now have access to recording devices where whatever any government officials […]

Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai says current state of technology means no more secrecy in governance, making it needful for government officials to be conversant with their areas of responsibilities.

He spoke while inaugurating the steering committee on Open Government Partnership (OGP), insisting citizens now have access to recording devices where whatever any government officials say can be reproduced and interpreted at anytime.

Kaduna state government on Monday began implementing the OGP of the Federal Government aiming at enhancing transparency, accountability and citizen participation in governance.

"I always tell my officials to be conversant with what they do because there is no more secret in what we do any longer. If as a government official, you make a speech today and you read that same on a media platforms later, how will you feel. That is why we are transparent in what we do in the state as a government. We publish our programmes including bid for contract where any contractor within and outside the state can apply,” the governor said.

Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and Co-Chair of the OGP Nigeria, Edetaen Ojo, told the gathering that the essential pillar and philosophy of the OGP is the concept of partnership between government and civil society which according to him sometimes, difficult for many people on both sides to grasp and apply as the relationship between government and civil society is often complicated.

"Government has to work with CSOs to develop and implement the OGP action plans, which contain priorities that have Ben jointly agreed upon.

"The OGP process also encourages members to establish institutional mechanisms for ongoing dialogue and collaboration between government and CSOs, which runs through the process,” he said.