Kano: OGP reaffirms commitment to free, fair election of civil society steering committee

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) Secretariat in Kano State has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a free, fair and credible election for the Civil Society (CS) Steering Committee, following a successful multi-stakeholder engagement held on Tuesday.

In a statement signed by the Head of Secretariat, Musaddiq Kabir Adam, the meeting was described as a major step forward in strengthening transparency, accountability and inclusive governance in the state.

The engagement brought together representatives from government and civil society, providing a platform to deliberate on key OGP priorities.

It also served to formally acquaint the newly constituted Government Steering Committee with ongoing reforms under the OGP framework.

The statement noted that the meeting created an opportunity for the outgoing Civil Society Steering Committee to interface with incoming government actors, a move aimed at preserving institutional memory, ensuring continuity of reform commitments and fostering a shared understanding of achievements and challenges.

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SolaceBase reports that the key resolution reached at the meeting was the decision by the Civil Society Steering Committee to proceed with the election of new members following the expiration of its tenure. The move, according to the Secretariat, is intended to guarantee balanced multi-stakeholder representation and strengthen collaboration with the Government Steering Committee in line with OGP global standards.

The Secretariat disclosed that preparations for the election are already underway, with logistical arrangements being put in place to ensure the process is concluded before the end of April.

It further assured stakeholders of its commitment to overseeing a transparent electoral process that will produce a representative body of civil society actors to continue the implementation of the state’s approved Action Plan.

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The statement added that the transition is designed to deepen co-creation and ensure that incoming members build on existing progress while sustaining reform momentum.

The Secretariat also called on all non-state actors in Kano State, including civil society organisations, community-based organisations, the private sector, media, professional bodies, academia and development partners, to prepare for the forthcoming election.

It pledged to provide further updates on the election process in due course while appreciating stakeholders for their continued support toward promoting open and accountable governance in the state.