TRANSPARENCY INITIATIVES: UDUAGHAN WOOS STAKEHOLDERS

OKONTA EMEKA OKELUM

The Delta State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta uduaghan, while delivering his opening remarks at the sensitization workshop organized by the Due process office at Asaba, for top local government council chiefs, secretaries, leaders of the legislative arms of government at the 25 local government council areas of the State, Dr Uduaghan threw an open invitation to all stakeholders in the state to join his leadership in the fight to restore accountability and probity in the public service for the realization of the 3 point agenda and social development of the state.

In his words "it is necessary that every individual in the state should be equipped with a clear knowledge and understanding of what is right or wrong, and be guided by laid down rules and regulations, there is, therefore, a dire need for all stakeholders to be conversant with these rules and complie to same".

zero or near zero performance of public office holders had been traced to capacity issues, in this light the state governor highlighted to the participants some issues around the purpose, expectation and importance of the workshop, and stating that "the workshop was designed to sensitize all of you on the need to follow due process in all your activities, at the end of the workshop, participants will understand the process of ensuring that the laws are observed and fully carried out in the act of procuring public goods and services".

In his welcome address, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Due process, Mr. Joseph Duke Okeze, highlighted that the Uduaghan-led administration is prepared and leads the course in the Niger-Delta States in entrenching the culture of discipline, accountability, transparency, value for money and fit to purpose consciousness in the management of Delta State resources by signing into law the fiscal responsibilty and public procurement commission bills in August 2008 and March 2009 respectively.

Mr Joseph Okeze hinted the media that ahead of the  Governor's preparedness to inaugurate the fiscal responsibility and public procurement council/commissions, the Due Process office had considered  it expedient to provide this timely training, to further prepare the enabling environment for the take off of the commissions, also he informed the media about the office efforts on massive enlightenment campaigns, which include the production and dissemination of IEC materials like the Delta State Government Due process Handbook and the Delta State Government Due-Process Journals.