Ondo gets third best position in transparency, public fund management, others

DAMISI OJO, Akure

Ondo State has been rated third best among Nigeria’s 36 states in transparency and accountability in public fund management and the implementation of public policies.

This rating was contained in a report recently released by the Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CeFTIW) in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation.

The Foundation prioritized six key areas including Accessibility, Open Budget, Public Procurement, Human Resources, Anti-Corruption and citizen engagement.

The top five states in order of sequence are: Ekiti, Kaduna, Ondo, Lagos and Gombe.

Consequently, the Ondo State government considered this as a positive achievement which did not come so easily.

A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, said the steady climb-up the transparency and accountability ladder by the state was a laudable understanding of the foundations needed for sustainable as opposed to ephemeral development.

The statement reads: “This very considerable, positive achievement did not come in one fell swoop. It was achieved in a structured way. Sudden leaps are the stuff of comic books, theatre and movies.

“The state is fortunate to have Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, a man steeped in the notion of institutions as the decisive engine room for development as its helmsman.

“The steady climb-up of the transparency and accountability ladder by Ondo State is a laudable understanding of the foundations needed for sustainable as opposed to ephemeral development.

“Transparency leads to better costing of projects and better service delivery.

“It also helps to develop the institutional memory needed for the long term; that is why the institutional philosophy of Akeredolu is the REDEEMED Agenda.

“The 8-point REDEEMED Agenda represents, Rural and Agricultural Development; Educational Advancement and Human Capital Development; Development through Massive Infrastructure; Efficient Service Delivery, Development and Policy Implementation; Effective Health Care and Social Welfare Services; Maintenance of Law and Order for Adequate Security; Energy, Mining and Sustainable Industries; as well as Digital Revolution and Entrepreneurship.

“Akeredolu through this report has earned his place in history as the custodian of the tradition of accountability.

“This sets a marker, which must be institutionalized before the end of his tenure in office”.