Open Governance Initiative Series

One of the strategies that will be pursued by the Government during the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP 2018-2021) to strengthen accountability and build mutual trust and transparency, will be to set-up forums/platforms for citizen’s engagement and create opportunities for citizens to interrelate with Public Officials at all levels. The Open Governance Initiative (OGI) Platform provides such a platform.

The OGI aims to facilitate interaction between Government and its citizens thereby bringing Government closer to the people and the people closer to the Government through interactive dialogues. The OGI was launched in 2020 and The Department of Strategic Policy and Delivery (DSPD) in the Office of the President by virtue of its mandate, was tasked with Coordinating this program on behalf of the Government.

The OGI is implemented through Radio/TV Programs which are recorded and aired by GRTS. Public Sector Leaders (Permanent Secretaries) as Chief Technicians of Ministries, are engaged through a moderated TV/Radio program on the Service Charters of their respective Ministries, Programs and Policies and Strategic Plans deployed to achieve development objectives as envisaged in the NDP (2018 -2021).

AT the regional level, Governors and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) members engage citizens in the respective regions on the consolidated report of activities of Government Departments and Agencies and NGOs operating in those regions. This is done through open townhall dialogues, interfacing directly with community leaders such as Chiefs, Alkalolus, Women Leaders, Youth Leaders and People living with disability (PLWD). Such platform gives communities the opportunity to engage directly with Public Sector leaders in their regions on programs under implementation and contemporary issues, as a result addressing information asymmetry, enhancing accountability, transparency and cementing peace and social cohesion at the grassroot level.