Access to govt records, would tackle corruption – Kano anti-corruption boss
The Chairman, Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado has said that, the implementation of mechanisms such as Open Government Partnership (OGP) recently signed into effect by Governor Ganduje of Kano state, is one of the best means of tackling corruption from the root and would go a long way to save government, cost of investigations, prosecution and foster relationships between the public and the government.
Muhuyi lauded Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for taken such a bold step at a time, other state Governors are still deliberating on whether to implement the initiative or not.
According to him, the essence of the OGP is to give Civil Societies as well as the General Public, access to government’s records and information, which at the end, would checkmate excesses and corruption in governance, also making it difficult for anyone to engage in stealing or diverting public funds for personal use.
“With this, the public can easily enquire about funds and any information they need more clarifications on. Anyone can genuinely demand to know how certain funds are spent, how projects are awarded and how they are being executed amongst other, making it difficult for corruption to thrive on a large proportion as it use to be”
The Kano Anti-Corruption Boss who doubles as Co-Chair for the initiative, further stated that the Ganduje’s administration has fulfilled promise made at the beginning of the government to entrench transparency and accountability in the cause of running government by putting into effect such mechanism.
“You know, when Ganduje came on board, he promised to run a government of transparency, accountability, access to justice and fight against corruption, that is why the Governor did not hesitate to implement such a great mechanism in the state which would also assist and complement our activities at the commission”
Furthermore, he also said that, unlike in the past when Civil Society Organizations are perceived as antagonists, the new platform provided by the state government would enhance mutual relationships between the two, as it allows a level ground of participation on matters of governance as it concerns the people making that of the state a unique one.
Rimingado, called on other state governments yet to implement the policy to consider doing so in order to make the president Muhammadu Buhari’s crusade against corruption a reality.
That, rather than the conventional methods of arresting and “unending” prosecutions after one has done a great damage to the treasury of a state or country, methods such as the OGP that would prevent occurrence of such, should be put into effect.
