The Open Government Partnership (OGP) has welcomed Anambra East Local Government Area as its First Nigeria member.
The Chief Executive Officer of Open Government Partnership, Mr. Sanjay Pradhan, said this on Monday in Washington DC, USA.
Selected from 138 applications across the globe, Anambra East LGA is joining a network of leaders who work with citizens and civil society organizations to implement action plans, tailored to their local contexts, to improve their communities using open government approaches.
The partnership plugs Anambra East Local Government to a global network of 75 Nations and 140 Local Governments across the world opening it up to collaborations and possible funding opportunities from across the world.
Anambra East is the only LGA in Nigeria and part of the under 20 Local governments across Africa admitted to join this global partnership after a careful post-application selection.
According to the Transition Committee Chairman of Anambra East Local Government Area, Dr. Anselm Onuorah, it is his vision to make Anambra East more Transparent, accountable and Participatory.
“We are happy to join the Open Government Partnership. This is a testament to the independence of Local Government authorities enabled by Mr Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s leadership in our dear state. It shows that the third tier of government functions optimally as it is supposed and we, the Chairmen of LGAs, are free to take initiatives that will help foster growth and development in our respective LGAs. I thank, also, our Partnerships and Strategy Office and our civil society partners, Centre for Inclusive Social Development, for their tireless efforts in achieving this milestone,” Onuorah said.
During the announcement, the Chief Executive Officer of the Open Government Partnership, Sanjay Pradhan, expressed delight in welcoming no less than fifty-five brand new local jurisdictions to the growing network of reformers that OGP has built since it was founded in 2011, noting that the expansion underscores governments’ collective commitment to serve citizens’ needs better.
He says that by embracing open government approaches, Anambra East local government is now uniquely positioned to respond effectively to citizen demands due to their proximity to communities.
The Open Government Partnership provides a space for open government leaders to form coalitions that drive change in their contexts, learn from each other, and collaborate with peers from around the world to deliver better policies for citizens.
As of 2024, members of OGP Local have co-created more than 120 action plans and committed to implementing more than 475 open government initiatives.
