By Ummi Ismaeel,
Minna
The Secretary to the State Government of Niger (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, has called for the involvement of citizens in governance towards ensuring good governance.
Matane made the appeal at the NEPAD/AUDA Second Peer Review and Self-Assessment Town Hall Meeting which held at the multi-purpose hall, Government House, Minna the state capital.
The SSG gave the four major thematic areas of the peer review that required the involvement of citizens in governance to help foster the adoption of policies, standards, and practices that could lead to economic growth, sustainable development, political stability, accelerated regional and as well continental economic integration.
While calling on the NEPAD/AUDA National Governing Council to develop a framework for data generation mechanism for the implementation of some of its National Programmes of Action, the SSG said that it had become imperative for citizens to be involved in governance.
The state government’s scribe told the participants that Niger State has followed carefully and completed the questionnaire through a bottom to up and stakeholder-driven processes, stressing that “this will do an honest assessment of government activities in the past few years.”
Matane however urged participants and other stakeholders at the town hall meeting to contribute meaningfully towards the crucial aspect of the review process for maximum benefits to relevant stakeholders.
The National Council Member of NEPAD/AUDA, Abuja, Mrs. Tawakalit Olayemu Yusuf, had told participants that the objectives of peer review included primarily to foster the adoption of policies and practice that would bring about political stability, high economic growth, and sustainable development across sectors.
Olayemu also explained that the peer review assessment was conducted within the framework of four thematic areas namely; Democracy and Political Governance, Corporate Governance, Economic Growth and Management, and as well Socio-Economic Development.
Also in his address, the Permanent Secretary (Economic Affairs) Governor’s Office, Malam Yahaya Babawachiko, said that the programme was aimed at ensuring effective implementation of Nigeria’s second review process.
