By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
Over 100 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) in Jigawa State have closed ranks under the Open Government Partnership (OGP), creating a powerful platform to champion transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness in governance at state and local government levels.
The coalition emerged from a general meeting convened by the newly formed OGP leadership in the state, headed by Comrade Isah Mustapha.
The gathering set the stage for activating the third phase of Jigawa’s OGP Action Plan, a roadmap designed to bring openness into everyday governance.
Mustapha, who now serves as the Non-State Actors’ Co-Chair, told journalists that members agreed to rally around four central themes: Fiscal Transparency and Accountability, Access to Justice, Climate Change, and Anti-Corruption.
“This process is rooted in OGP’s principles of openness and inclusion. With Action Plan III, Jigawa is taking bold steps to deepen good governance,” he said.
According to him, participation was thrown open through Google forms shared widely on media platforms, allowing organisations to register and choose their preferred thematic areas.
The approach, he stressed, ensures every group—from CSOs and CBOs to private sector players and the media—has an equal voice in shaping the plan.
He explained that with the OGP Step II leadership winding down, the new team was formed to reposition the movement and ensure transparent leadership structures.
“Every member has the right to join, lead and contribute. The current leadership will not allow interference; everything will be guided by due process,” he added.
Mustapha also revealed plans to establish OGP structures across all 27 local government areas of Jigawa.
These grassroots platforms, he said, will track public spending, monitor contracts, and hold councils accountable, especially in light of their new financial autonomy.
“Our ambition is not just to revive Jigawa OGP, but to make it stand tall globally as a model of inclusive governance,” he declared.
He urged members to remain united, noting that the coalition’s strength lies in its ability to give citizens a voice and ensure that openness in governance becomes the standard across the state.