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LAGOS TO JOIN OTHER REGIONAL BODIES TO DEVELOP THE WEST

Lagos State Government has expressed its determination to support the regional integration and development agenda in the west.

The integration is to broaden governance reforms in all the states in the region, as well as enhance service delivery, economic and social development, and leveraging on issues common to the states within the region.

Speaking at a 2-day reform mapping exercise organized by DAWN-DFID/ PERL, aimed at identifying innovations in Lagos that can be shared with other states within the region, the Director General, Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation, Mr. Toba Otusanya said the State Government is committed to reforms, and willing to offer support, share best practices and partner, with other states in the region for its development.

According to him, the need for States in the western region to collaborate and come up with ideas that will develop the region in terms of efficient service delivery to the people cannot be over emphasized, thus, the introduction of this initiative by DAWN-DFID/PERL, which is hoped, would garner all the support it deserves.

He added that the choice of Lagos at this inception stage of the exercise was obviously informed by the fact that most of the reforms in Lagos are indeed notable and worthy of emulation, stressing that the potential benefits of these reforms if properly harnessed by other states, would bring about the much desired even development in the west.

The DG while assuring the consultants of OTCI’s support and active involvement in the data gathering exercise, wished them a successful implementation of the governance process.

In order to achieve these collaborative engagements that would optimize the collective synergy for meeting the challenges of developing the region for the benefit of its people therefore, the DAWN- DFID/ PERL Partnership has been introduced to all the states in the western region.

The consultants, however, reviewed and documented all the reforms in the State, with the assistance of representatives of MDAs who took turns to provide adequate information needed to assess these reforms experiences, as well as potential linkages between state reform coordinating structures and identified gaps.

The essence is to come up with a document that would be distributed to other States in the South-West so they can learn from the Lagos experience, understand and help others within the region to develop.

According to the consultants, they were particular about innovations and changes that were introduced to governance in order to improve on Public Administration and service delivery to the people.

However, each notable reform was identified in line with the history (how and when it began), the problem or bottle neck the reform is addressing/addressed, implementing Agency, Ownership and Sub-sector covered.

Other forms of identification were based on the reforms’ link to the state’s development plan, link to regional development agenda, link to budget, current status, citizens’ interest and engagement, as well as private sector interest and outcome. This is to enable the consultants ascertain the viability or otherwise of these reforms in meeting the purpose for which they were enacted.

It would be recalled that the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission was officially inaugurated by the Governments of the South-West States in July 2013, to manage the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria.

On the other hand, the DFID/PERL (Partnership to Engage, Reward and Learn) programme is a five-year programme aimed at supporting Nigerian Governments, and States in particular to become better at priotizing, planning, resourcing, delivering, tracking and accounting for the delivery of public goods and services that respond to the needs of the people.

Other institutions collaborating with DAWN Commission in this regard are Partnership to Engage Reforms and Learn (PERL), Learning Evidence and Advocacy Partnership (LEAP), State Accountability and Voice Initiative (SAVI), Engaged Citizens Partnership (ECP), and Accountable, Responsive and Capable Government (ARC), all working through regional platforms to achieve the same goal.

Although, this exercise examined notable reforms, innovations and changes in Lagos that were introduced to governance from 2009 to date, same is expected to happen in all other states in the region for even development to take place in the west.

At the end of the workshop, the consultants commended Lagos State Government for the landmark achievements recorded in the area of reforms, stating that Lagos is indeed a state of many reforms, which they look forward to learning from.

The 2-day workshop which took place at the Conference Room of the OTCI was attended by representatives of Ministries and Agencies, as well as consultants, Mr. Ifeanyi Peters Ugwuoke and Mr. Matthew Omolade represented ARC; Mr. Josiah Aramide, ECP; while Mrs Yewande Peters represented DAWN Commission, the officially recognized institution responsible for every issue pertaining to the development of the western region.

Regina Igboji

ACPAO (OTCI)  (14th October, 2016)

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