Lois Otse Adams
The Director of Audit (DOA) overseeing the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, Mr. Andrew Onwudili, has applauded the efforts of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Team in Nigeria, saying “your visit is quite strategic, given the role that we play in ensuring probity, accountability, and transparency in management and utilization of public resources.
He said this on 17th November 2022 during an advocacy visit to the Audit House, ahead of the implementation of Third National Action Plan (NAP III).
Onwudili commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing in to OGP at the London Anti-Corruption Summit in May 2016. He equally commended OGP Team eam’s efforts toward stimulating and promoting transparency, and accountability in Nigeria, especially in the fight against corruption.
“I am aware of the active role OGP played in supporting the Sub-Nationals (States) during the 4-Year implementation of the FGN-World Bank Assisted States’ Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Program for Results (PforR) that ensured States: Instituted Participatory Budgeting and publication of Citizens Budget; Published budget performance online; Publication of Citizens’ Accountability Reports; and Implementation of Open Contracting and the Open Contracting Data Standard.” He admonished.
“You will recall also that the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation performed the role of Independent Verification Agent (IVA) during the program, a task that the Office did creditably well by ensuring that the State’s performances are objectively assessed, thereby giving rise to the States determination to improve on the SFTAS thematic areas.”
“Hence, I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate your Team on the award presented to you on Monday 14th November 2022, by the SFTAS PCU and World Bank,” he said.
He also commended the success story of OGP in ensuring that the opacity in Nigeria’s extractives sector is addressed by institutionalizing transparency through the instrumentality of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) that was passed in 2020 which made it mandatory to disclose persons with significant control of companies in a register of beneficial owners thereby enhancing corporate accountability and transparency.
In her remarks, the National Coordinator of OGP Nigeria, Dr. Gloria Ahmed, on behalf of her Team, thanked the Office of the Auditor – General for the Federation for beating the drum of support for OGP.
“OGP Team is here to solicit support for the Third National Action Plan (NAP III) and we recognize the Office of the Auditor – General for the Federation as a very key stakeholder in the project to reform fiscal policies in Nigeria.”
“OGP seeks to strengthen institutions and improve service Delivery to all Nigerians. it is a multi-stakeholder Programme co-created by Government and the Civil Society, and every Stakeholder has an important part to play towards the success of the programme.” She explained.
The Coordinator further called for concerted efforts towards the implementation of Nigeria’s national action plan III which will be finalized soon.
