Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, has described a new report by the Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CeFTIW) that placed Ekiti State top of its Index Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch list as well deserved and a prove of continuity of vision and performance.
The new index, which was released this month by the Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch in collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation had placed Ekiti, Kaduna, Ondo, Lagos and Gombe states top of its Index Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch list and Bauchi, Adamawa, Benue, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states are bottom.
According to the report, public institutions are assessed on variables including Website integrity; Fiscal Transparency; Open procurement; Anti-corruption; Citizens Engagement/Responsiveness and Human Resources and Inclusion in all 36 states of the federation.
The Index, the first of its kind in Africa, is research on public institutions’ compliance with principles of transparency, integrity, and open governance, drawn from national and international principles.
The Index seeks to promote citizens’ access to information and participation in governance by encouraging government institutions to proactively disclose information on governance.
The international principles were drawn from United Nations Convention against Corruption, Financial Action Task Force, African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, UK Anti-corruption Summit 2016 and Open Government Partnership.
The local principles are drawn from the Bureau of Public Procurement Act, Federal Character Principles, The Freedom of Information Act, 2011; The Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007; Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 and Executive Order No. 001, 2017.
Recalling that Ekiti was second in 2021, first in 2022 and has now retained its first position in 2023, Olatunbosun noted that “it is very rare to retain such a position, especially in a transition period, unless there’s strong commitment from the new Government to entrench existing reforms.”
Describing the State workforce as dependable and efficient, the Commissioner commended the consistent level of performance which led to the feat.
“We acknowledge the staff of various MDAs who have worked over time to make this happen: Ministry of Budget, Planning & Performance Management; Ministry of Finance; Bureau of Public Procurement; Bureau of ICT; Offices of the Accountant and Auditors General. Without the civil servants in these MDAs, such a consistent level of performance won’t have been possible.”
The commissioner assured that Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration will not relent efforts at ensuring good governance, while rapidly developing the State and improving the lot of the people.
Olatunbosun urged stakeholders, particularly public servants, to continually support efforts of Government at “keeping the State working towards shared prosperity.
”The challenge of being at the top is staying there and that’s what we must continue to achieve over the life of this administration.
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