Prince Dapo Abiodun has reiterated that his administration remains committed to good governance and ensuring the lives of the citizens of Ogun State gets better day by day.
The Governor who made this known at the 2nd review and one day Town Hall meeting to flag off the Ogun state self- assessment process, added that his government since inception has always paid cognisance to being accountable, participatory and all inclusiveness.
Represented by his Deputy, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Gov Abiodun informed that in doing this, a feedback mechanism that is credible,, unbiased and apolitical from the masses that elected them into office is constantly in use, to ensure good governance is achieved.
“We strongly believe that governance should be a participatory process and an inclusive one. Achieving the Ogun State of our dreams will require the inputs of all, it is our belief that the people should have a say on issues that concerns them and they should be allowed to take their rightful place in the governance process’
He specially commended the resilience of the Government at the center for acceding and supporting the AU-APRM process in Nigeria and particularly the efforts of its representative in the south west for commencing the assessment process with Ogun state.
Welcoming participants to the town hall meeting, the State Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment Mrs Kikelomo Longe, who is also the state coordinator New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) , said the objective of the assessment process is to promote socio-economic growth and development, good Governance in politics, public and private sectors with a view to promoting a continental territorial integration among member Nations.
She stated that the state government had symbolically commenced part of the assessment process, noting that the outcome of the process is not a score card to rate any state or nation but to identify areas of performance and deficiencies so as to spur government at all levels to address these identified deficiencies for better service delivery to its citizens.
Also speaking, Nigerian Governing Council (NGC) member, South West, Princess Iyabo Fakunle Okeimen, lauded the state government for taking the lead in hosting the 2nd review in the south west after the first one more than 12 years ago in the country, saying it is an indication that good governance policy was in place in the state.
In his remarks, the Olu of Ilaro and the paramount ruler of Yewaland, HRM Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, said no doubt governance all over the world is now based on the input of all critical stakeholders of the nascent democracy that is practiced across the world, encouraging stakeholders to try as much as possible to prioritise attendance of programs of this nature, as the contribution of their own quota towards the development of the state and country at large.
