In his letter, the Osun State Governor stated... “This is to further strengthen the Public Financial Management Reform already embarked upon and carefully executed by my administration to promote transparency, accountability, citizen participation, technology and innovation”.
Governor
Adeleke went on to highlight Osun State's eligibility to sign up for OGP, these
includes meeting up with a minimum requirement of having taken some major
reform steps towards open and participatory government. In Fiscal Transparency,
Osun State had enacted the Internal Revenue Codification and Harmonization Law
2019; giving tax payers access to codes and rates payable on revenue.
Also, the
State's Public Procurement Agency aligns it's activities to the Public
Procurement Law 2019 (Amended); Citizens Consultative Forums are held in the 3
Senatorial Districts to harvest the needs of citizens and improve citizens
participation in governance. 'The needs serve as inputs into the programmes and
projects of the Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) and the Annual Budgets', the
Governor stated.
To further
engage with citizens, Osun State runs a radio programme 'IPADE IMOLE' where
citizens are informed about the Government's programmes and projects, and
feedbacks are collated. Other reform steps taken by the state include the
Freedom of Information Law, which is almost completed; and the mandatory asset
disclosure by public officials.
The Governor
informed the Secretariat that he has directed the Commissioner for Economic
Planning, Budget and Development, Professor Morufu Ademola Adeleke to lead the
OGP process in the State. Governor Adeleke expressed his desire for the OGP
Secretariat and other stakeholders to work with the Osun State Government in
developing the State's first OGP Action Plan.
Osun's
membership will bring the number of Nigerian States in OGP to 26, including 3
local governments all in the FCT - AMAC, Gwagwalada and Kwali Area Councils.