Nigeria launches transparency index for MDAs

The federal government, in partnership with the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity, has launched the Transparency and Integrity Index (TII) methodology handbook for the 2024 assessment of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government.

Presenting the handbook on Thursday in Abuja, the Executive Director of the centre, Mr Umar Yakubu, emphasised the need for MDAs to embrace transparency in all their dealings.

Yakubu explained that the 2024 TII methodology: “Is a detailed guide to the variables and scoring criteria used in the assessment of public institutions’ compliance to fiscal transparency and accountability, laws and other commitments.”

Also, Tamara Berepubo, programme officer of the centre, while presenting the methodology, noted that guiding principles of the report extended beyond national borders.

“We draw from international conventions and treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory, such as the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) 2004, the Open Government Partnership (OGP); the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC)2006; the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 10 and 16 among other principles which is explained in the course of the presentation.”

She said, “For the 2024 assessment, we have identified five thematic areas of focus for government institutions at the national, sub-national and local government levels. These variables are financials; open procurement; control of corruption; citizens engagement and human resources and inclusion which will be used for the assessment to ensure and encourage openness in government.”

In his keynote address, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, said the handbook was beginning to penetrate MDAs which had begun to display transparency in their works.

Akume, who was represented by a Director in the Office of the SGF, Mr Wase Isah Francis, said, “The handbook has succeeded in providing a comprehensive framework for evaluating the accuracy, reliability and security of institutional websites.”