The Federal Government of Nigeria has set a pace in its service delivery initiative by keying into citizens centred service delivery through the Open Government Partnership programme (OGP).
This assertion was made by the National Coordinator / CEO SERVICOM, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, during the occasion of SERVICOM’s inaugural meeting of improved service delivery work group with State Actors and Non State Actors ( Civil Society Organizations) at the headquarters’ Office in Abuja.
The National Coordinator stated that the Federal Government of Nigeria is changing the narratives for the better with OGP that will bring home grown services to the people which will act as a stimulus for quality service delivery in Nigeria.
According to her, SERVICOM’s role as the lead agency for service improvement in the OGP process is geared towards ensuring that citizens are served right at all Government service points by working with established Ministerial SERVICOM Units ( MSU’s) in all MDA’s and state government to attain this goal.
SERVICOM she said, will contribute to the improvement in quality of public service which involves availability, efficiency and reliability equitable without hidden costs , transparency and accountability in 7 selected pilot MDA’s.
Akajemeli said that the 7 MDA’s involved in the OGP process will be engaged as pilot project thereafter will be rolled over to other MDA’s of the government.
The 7 MDA ‘s are the Federal Ministry of Health , Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development . Federal Ministry of Power, Federal Ministry of works and Housing, Federal Ministry of Transportation and Federal Ministry of Aviation.
‘’We will engage and work within the four key principles areas governing the OGP process which are clearly stipulated as transparency, accountability, citizens participation and technology and innovation’’, she said.
The expected outcomes she said, will be to access transparent governance systems that are functional in these MDA’s and will be based on demand of the public, as well as improved public servants’ value orientation and attitudinal changes significant for professionalism and excellent service delivery .
A statement by the Public Awareness Manager, SERVICOM, Henrietta Okokon (Mrs) quoted Mrs Akajemeli to have urged Heads of MDA’s to pay close attention to issues bordering on staff welfare and motivation that will promote healthy competition, effective service delivery and accountability in government.
She also called for support and professional counsel from the State Actors and Non –State Actors in the realization of the goals of the OGP and in the commitments being championed by the SERVICOM Office.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Mr Benjamin Ogu Okolo, National Coordinator / CEO, represented by Barrister Chris Ugwuala urged participants to contribute to the successful implementation of the Commitments 15 and 16 under the service delivery process of OGP.
He further called for regular engagements, consultations and sensitization of the OGP initiatives and for the actors involved to carry out regular reviews of the work plan and its implementation process.
