On Thursday, key stakeholders in Kano State gathered at the conference hall of the Kano Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Farm Center for a roundtable on good governance, organised by Stallion Times.
The event, supported by the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism and funded by the MacArthur Foundation, brought together state actors, non-state actors, and the media to discuss crucial governance matters.
The roundtable aimed to develop strategies for generating citizens’ input on budget and service delivery, and to co-create a mutually agreed Key Performance Index (KPI) to measure the government’s accountability on key commitments.
In his opening remarks, Isiyaku Ahmed, Editor-in-Chief of Stallion Times, echoed the importance of the initiative in promoting good governance in Kano State.
According to him, a society that works is one in which the government is responsive and actively acts on the demands of its populace.
“By bringing together diverse voices and encouraging active citizen participation, we are hopeful that it will be a stepping stone for a more transparent, accountable, and inclusive government in Kano,” he added.
Abdulrazak Alkali, Citizens Co-Chair of Kano Open Government Partnership (OGP), praised Stallion Times for setting up a permanent dialogue mechanism and organising the roundtable.
He emphasised that the event would facilitate citizen participation in governance, enhance service delivery, and improve policy development.
“This is a step in the right direction,” Alkali said, noting OGP’s shared responsibility in ensuring openness in government processes.
Leslie Babangida Dongh, the consultant who facilitated the training, underscored the responsibility of both state and non-state actors in achieving good governance.
He urged citizens to demand accountability and transparency from their government.
Dongh called for collaborative planning between the government and citizens, expressing hope that the roundtable would lead to significant progress in co-creation efforts.
He added: “Good governance is the responsibility of both state and non-state actors. It is equally important for citizens to keep demanding accountability and openness from the government’s processes. I am hopeful that outcomes from this roundtable will sprout a high level of progress in co-creation between state and non-state actors.”
Zuwaira Omar, a thematic lead in Kano OGP, encouraged citizens to utilise social media platforms to engage their representatives and demand good governance.
She stressed the need for the government to be more responsive to the people’s needs and urged the governor to sign the OGP state action plan, which had yet to be approved.
Safiyanu Bichi, a member of the Kano Budget Working Group, highlighted the necessity of regular town hall meetings to formulate people-oriented policies.
“Many government policies fail due to inadequate engagement with the populace.
“Increased interaction between the Kano State government and its citizens is necessary to ensure successful policy implementation,” Bichi said.
Sa’adatu Hashim, the state focal person for the Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), advocated for greater transparency from the government. She emphasised the importance of involving citizens in the planning and the implementation of government projects to ensure their contributions to policies and programs are heard.
The high point of the governance round table was the communique at the end of the event.
