Governor Yusuf Earns National OGP Commendation as Kano Strengthens Transparency, Accountability Drive

By Ladan Nasidi, Kano

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) National Secretariat has commended Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for demonstrating sustained political commitment to transparency, accountability and citizens’ participation in governance.

The commendation came during the election and inauguration of civil society representatives into the Kano State OGP Steering Committee and Thematic Working Groups, held in Kano.

Speaking at the event, the Civil Society Adviser to the OGP National Secretariat, Uchenna Arisukwu, described the election as “peaceful, transparent and participatory,” noting that it reflected the core principles of the global initiative.

“The election was conducted to ensure that credible civil society representatives emerged through a democratic process in line with the values of inclusion, participation and accountability,” Arisukwu said.

He explained that the OGP operates through three major structures—the Steering Committee, Thematic Working Groups and the OGP Secretariat—at both national and sub-national levels, making the election of civil society representatives critical to the success of the initiative.
According to him, Kano has distinguished itself as one of Nigeria’s leading OGP states due to the strong political will demonstrated by the Yusuf administration.
Reaffirming the state’s commitment to open governance, the Kano State OGP Coordinator and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Open Government and Accountability Policies, Musaddiq Adam, said the successful election underscored Governor Yusuf’s resolve to institutionalise transparency and inclusive governance.

“What you are witnessing today is one of the outcomes of His Excellency’s efforts to ensure accountability, transparency and inclusiveness in governance,” Adam stated.

He disclosed that the governor had appointed five commissioners, four permanent secretaries and a director to represent the government in the state OGP Secretariat.

They will work alongside newly elected civil society representatives to implement reforms in access to information, justice, citizen engagement, anti-corruption, public service delivery and climate change.

Adam added that Governor Yusuf had also approved the Kano State OGP State Action Plan, while the establishment of the Ministry of Public Procurement marked another milestone in the state’s reform agenda.

He further revealed that Kano has risen from 11th to fourth position in the national OGP ranking since the current administration assumed responsibility for the initiative.

Meanwhile, the newly elected Civil Society Co-Chair of the Kano State OGP, Abdulrahman Abdul, identified awareness creation and capacity building as immediate priorities.

“Many civil society organisations still have limited knowledge of how the Open Government Partnership works. We will focus on expanding awareness and strengthening their capacity to participate effectively,” Abdul said.