The Federal Government on Thursday reiterated commitment to promoting transparency in governance. Mr Clement Agba, Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning (FMFBNP) stated this in Abuja at a one day interactive forum with development partners and international NGOs.
Agba, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Olusola Idowu, urged stakeholders to key into the ministry’s annual Development Corporation Report (DCR) aimed at increasing transparency.
Agba said the DCR was aimed at increasing transparency towards the enhancement of mutual accountability and aid effectiveness in the country.
“In addition, as part of efforts to address the information gap and data needs of various stakeholders, the ministry has particularly deployed the Development Assistant Database (DAD) platform.
“The platform is a publicly accessible online single portal that maintains all aid-related information.
“The DCR is an invaluable product of the DAD and I urge you all to key into the DAD platform to ensure proper coordination, transparency and accountability in aid administration in the country,” he said.
Agba said the interaction between the ministry, key stakeholders and the donor community was aimed at engendering partnership for shared national development of the country.
“This interactive forum is significant and it is coming at a time Nigeria is finalising the implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), 2017-2020.
“While the National Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) has been developed to serve as a “Transit” plan between the ERGP and a successor plan which is currently in its preparatory stage.
“The design and implementation of the NESP is predicated on the promotion of some basic target areas that include; local content and self-reliance, economic stimulation, job preservation/creation and Pro-poor growth, “ Agba said.
He said that in order to ensure that inflow of Official Development Assistant (ODA) impacted positively on the life of the citizenry, its coordination, utilisation, monitoring and evaluation should be done by a single government agency, the FMFBNP, in consonance with due process.
The minister added that it would ensure that development partners’ activities were in line with the country’s development aspirations as reflected in the development plans.
Agba acknowledged the continuous support of all the development partners and International NGOs operating in the country, with a view to attaining Nigeria’s development aspiration and improved well-being for its citizens.
