Peer Review: DFID, Experts Commend Ekiti Government’s Transparency

L-R: National Coordinator, State Peer Review Mechanism (SPRM), Prof.. Afeikhena Jerome; SPRM Committee Member, Prof. Oladipupo Adamolekun; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; and another Committee Member, Dr. Akachi Ezeigbo, at the presentation of the State Self-Assessment Report to the committee, during the Official Launch of the Ekiti State Technical Review Mission... on Monday.

As the United Kingdom’s Department For International Development (DFID) and  the Steering Committee of the State Peer Review Mechanism (SPRM) in Ekiti and the national level commend the commitment of Ekiti State Government to transparent and participatory governance, the State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has assured that the focus of his administration has not shifted from running an inclusive and transparent government.

The organisations gave the commendations  at the launch of the State Peer Review Mechanism’s Technical Mission in Ado Ekiti on Monday.

The State Governor who presented the State Self-Assessment Report  to the steering committee of  State Peer Review Mechanism stated that his administration  is still true to the promise to make social inclusiveness in policy formulation and implementation its watchword.

Fayemi said it was in view of the pact with the people on institutionalizing transparency and accountability in the governance of the State that his government “wholeheartedly embraced the Peer Review Mechanism which is an engagement with the citizens of the State on its performance and delivery of its Agenda”.

He added that though the report of the SPRM process identified challenges, the unwavering faith of the people in his administration “has made us to resolve to make the best of the transformational agenda”.

Speaking at the event, the South West Regional Coordinator of DFID, Dr. Sina Fagbenro-Byron said the participation of the State Government in the review programme is an indication of the “political will, progressivism and development-orientation” of the present administration in the State.

The DFID Coordinator added that if development initiatives are not measurable, it would be difficult to manage the impact of such development  for the benefit of the people.

Fagbenro-Byron described the State’s subscription to the review process as “trajectory that a progressive Nigeria should be heading towards.

He added that participating States have more opportunities to attract development partners and investors to their States as the review mechanism sells them to the public.

“DFID would specifically like to congratulate and commend Governor kayode Fayemi, his executive council and the good people of Ekiti State for the foresight demonstrated in their participation of this exercise. Barely two years in office, Dr Fayemi has not only fully appreciated the significance and the importance of this exercise for sustainable development of Ekiti and its people but has also led the way and encouraged others to do same for their respective States”, he asserted.

In his remarks, World Bank consultant and member of the SPRM Steering Committee at the national level, Professor Oladipo Adamolekun commended the State Government for the production and submission of its Self-Assessment  Report; saying that the 280-page report “is very candid and well written” as it was prepared through a participatory process.

Adamolekun described the report as a baseline for the direction  to which the present administration in the State is heading in the second half of the tenure.

He added that though Nigeria was in the 1960s described as “a country with plans that have no fact”, the review document would help the state government run the State with plans and facts.

The world Bank consultant stated that the document was excellent in that it highlighted some of the achievements of the Fayemi-led administration as well as the challenges it faces  which include a bloated bureaucracy with poor wiork ethic, paucity of resources, challenges in effectiveness of resource utilization among others.

Adamolekun stressed that the Technical Review Mission is aimed at validating the perspectives of the different stakeholders on governance and socio-economic development in the State as expressed in the Ekiti State Self Assessment Report.

While urging other State Governments to subscribe to the mechanism, he reiterated that the review programme is an invitation to all stakeholders to collaborate on a common platform to uplift development in  States in a non-adversarial manner.

Last modified: October 22, 2012