World Bank and other development partners have put the Kaduna state government to task on the urgent need for the state to effectively implement Open Contracting towards accelerated provision of the people’s basic needs in both the rural and urban areas of the state.
Architect Suleiman Ibrahim of Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority (KADPPA), who dropped this hint while speaking on the Open Contracting Data Standards (OCDS) to citizens groups at a roundtable engagement in Kaduna revealed that, ” Donor organizations such as Mc Arthur Foundation, World Bank other development partners are putting the State Governments to task on developing and implementing OCDS for the purpose of improving transparency, accountability in the procurement process.”
According to him procurement process in governance is key to both timeliness and quality, stressing that more emphasis on outcome of budgets over outputs is imperative. He reasoned that the procurement process if open for citizens to engage, would ensure that the desired results are met for the benefit of the citizenry.
Head Social and Entrepreneurship Development, Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (CALPED), Mr Abbas Danjuma, one of the resource persons at the event believes that, “some gains have been achieved in OCDS because the Kaduna State Government has begun to implement it, adding CALPED is committed to deepening citizens participation in governance.”
Speaking on ‘Factors limiting citizens participation in Open Contracting’, Mr Laurence Obeweh, Executive Director, Initiative for Collective Voice, Accountability and Progress ICoVAP, threw light on OCDS with emphasis on the need for government to take the initiative seriously for effective service delivery towards improving and sustaining the standard of living of the rural and urban poor.
The one day roundtable engagement put together by CALPED in collaboration with ICoVAP drew participants from civil society, youth groups, community based organizations, private sector and representatives from KADPPA and Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL).
