NGO harps on legislative support for  open governance

By Stanley Onyekwere

A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls (AEIG) has stressed the importance of the legislative arm of the area councils in the FCT, in the quest for open governance and implementation of citizen-centric policies.

AEIG, in partnership with the DEAN Initiative, made this point at a town-hall meeting organised for legislators and representatives from the six area councils and Civil Society Organisations (CSO) in the FCT, recently in Abuja.

According to the Executive Director of AEIG, Mrs. Abiodun Essiet, the meeting was aimed at enlightening the legislators on the need to commit themselves to open government processes.

She added that the meeting aim to promote accountability and transparency in governance, using Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) as a case study.

In her words:”One of the area council, AMAC has been able to commit themselves to Open Government Partnership and they have been successful and that is why we want to share the experience and success stories of AMAC with other area councils in the FCT.

“This is in a bid to promote citizen-centered governance but our major goal is to promote the rights of the original inhabitants of the FCT.

“This is because the local governments are the ones closest to the people and the original inhabitants have their representatives at their various councils.

“So we want to encourage them to do what they are being called upon to do by promoting public service delivery at the local level”.

On his part, Executive Director, Dean Initiative, Mr. Semiye Micheal,  said it was important for citizens to hold elected leaders accountable and ensure that leaders also promote citizen-centered policies.

According to him: “The right of the indigenous people is inclusive of good governance and ability to effectively participate in governance at the local level.

“So we are introducing good governance through the instrument of open-government partnership, to ensure that the parliamentarians are incorporated to know how to mainstream it into their legislative activities.

“We hope that people at the local level, especially the indigenous people can derive more benefits of democracy, more than just participating in voting process.

“Citizens need to also ask questions, vote for project, vote for budget and you need to hold people accountable and responsible, irrespective of the person in power”.

Also speaking, the Speaker, Kwali Area Council, Mr. Nuhu Kwali, appreciated the NGOs for the sensitising them and making them aware of the benefits of operating a open-government partnership with their people.

Kwali, who is the Chairman, Speakers’ Forum in the FCT, assured of their readiness to promote Inclusive governance in their various area councils.