Soludo moves to promote transparency in governance, as he launches 'Solution Lens'

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By Madu Obi

Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has launched Solution Lens, which is a civic technology platform developed to promote transparency and accountability in governance.

The programme, which is part of the governor's strategies to strengthen open governance initiative, would get the citizenry updated with government projects and programmes, while enabling them to equally report and ask relevant questions for effective delivery of dividends of democracy.

Powered by the State Ministry of Budget & Economic Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Anambra State ICT Agency, the state government has already trained and empowered focal persons and other stakeholders for effective updating and managing of the Solution Lens.

Governor Soludo, who was represented by the Commissioner for Budget & Economic Planning, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake, urged the media and civil society organisations to help in engaging the citizenry on existence and easy accessibility of the platform.

"It will make the work easier for all, including the government, citizens and people from across the country and beyond. It will make the government accessible, accountable, open and responsive driven.

It is a democracy instrument to engage and empower all, strengthen the government cycles and onboard the citizens as feedback mechanism," he added.

He explained that the platform is accessible to all the citizens, including communities, students, civil society members and journalists, and urged them to create accounts on the website for easy access and reportage of ongoing and completed projects, programmes and among others.

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, said the platform was anchored on the governor's agenda to emphasize the place of technology in governance, while delivering the dividends of democracy to the citizenry.

Mefor, who disclosed that the government was poised to train and empower workers to become digital savvy, enjoined the populace to embrace technology as it offers greater opportunities for people emancipation and progress.

On his part, Chief Executive of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata described the programme as an interactive platform that people would love to engage, interrogate and support the government in delivering a liveable and prosperous State

"It will enable Anambra citizens, residents and others to get the knowledge of what is happening and follow the trends in the conversation especially now the technology is driving development across the world. The platform will capture all areas of the economy and indices of the development," Agbata added.

Earlier, the Coordinator, Anambra State Civil Society Network and Co-chair, Open Governance (OGP) Initiative, Prince Chris Azor, described the programme as a good initiative, which according to him, would strengthening accountability and transparency, and the CSOs to optimally utilise the platform.