Kogi State Open Government Partnership (OGP) Steering Committee in collaboration with relevant stakeholders has validated Service delivery Charters for five Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) aimed at improving service delivery, under the Head of Service Commitment-4.
Ambassador Idris Ozovehe Muraina, Co-chair of Kogi State Open Government Partnership (OGP) State Steering Committee, Non -State Actors disclosed this at the end of a one-day stakeholders meeting on Strengthening Legislative Openness and Oversight Project, (LOOP) Technical Session, on Thursday in Lokoja.
He said that the stakeholders engagement was supported by a non-state actor, Initiative for Grassroots Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA), with funding support from Situation Room to support the process.
Muraina who is also the Executive Director of the Renaissance Care and Empowerment Foundation said
the Charter was drafted by the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Budget and Economic Planning as well as Ministry of Education, after a technical review.
The engagement, an OGP activity drew stakeholders including CSO members, community and religious leaders, youth groups, National Youth Council of Nigeria, women groups, lawyers from the Ministry of Justice, and among others to validate the document.
“The goal is to address concerns before finalizing the charter to be printed into a pocket-fitted service charter that can be made public to citizens for public distribution as a document to improve service delivery across Kogi State.
“The initiative reflects the government’s commitment to improved service provision, aiming to finalize three service charters.
Ambassador Muraina recalled that the State Government under the OGP initiative made five commitments with four thematic areas adding, So far, each of the commitments have several activities under it. We have a lot of them that have been achieved.
“Presently, the state has achieved approximately 30-35 per cent of its five commitments, with a target of attaining 100 per cent by December, 2026”, he said.
According to Mr Ikechukwu, Mpama, Kogi Loop Project Officer, (PO), the meeting was convened to review the Charter of Service drafts for the selected MDAs and receive inputs from the them to validate the Charter of Service draft for implementation.
The meeting, according to him, also aims to strengthen institutional capacity of Legislators to carry out oversight duties to the MDAs and as well, strengthen their capacity to improve service delivery as part of its objectives.
Mpama said the engagement was also aimed at incorporating and integrating the inputs of the stakeholders into the Service Charter draft with active collaboration of the Legislators and Media to enhance the capacity of the MDAs.
What we are doing today is being supported by a Non -State Actor organization, Initiative for Grassroots Advancement in Nigeria, INGRA, in Partnership with UK International Development, with funding support from Situation Room to support the process.