The Federal Government has unveiled the 2024 Transparency and Integrity Index Assessment, highlighting its commitment to enhancing accountability across public institutions.
The event, organised by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The report indicated that the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency secured the top rank with a score of 77.92 per cent.
In his keynote address, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, praised the initiative by the centre.
“The initiative is commendable and a welcomed development towards entrenching accountability and good governance,” he stated.
The index assesses Ministries, Departments, and Agencies based on five variables: Fiscal Transparency, Open Procurement, Control of Corruption, citizen engagement, and Human Resources.
Akume noted that the event also served as a platform to discuss the importance of transparency in governance.
He emphasised that “Transparency is not merely a policy; it is a fundamental principle that underpins our democracy.”
He urged public servants to recognise that these metrics reflect the trust citizens place in them and to use the insights from the index to foster meaningful engagement with the populace.
Highlighting the rankings, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission followed NOSDRA in second place with a score of 71.53 per cent, while the Development Bank of Nigeria came in third with 60.17 per cent.
The presentation revealed that while the highest score represents an improvement from previous years, the overall performance of many institutions has declined, with a staggering 99.4 per cent scoring below 40 per cent.
Akume called for continued reforms and emphasised, “We must take this opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments while acknowledging the areas where we must do better.”
He encouraged all stakeholders to embrace a culture of integrity and ethical standards to strengthen public trust.
He said as the government continues to push for financial transparency and integrity, the introduction of platforms like the Open Treasury Portal aims to improve accountability and governance.
“Together, we can build a more transparent, accountable, and inclusive governance framework that reflects the aspirations of all Nigerians,” he added.
Speaking at the event, the Director General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dasuki Arabi, emphasised the importance of transparency, citing the Open Government Partnership initiative and the United Nations Convention on Anti-Corruption.
“This collaboration aligns with the development objective of Pillar III of the National Strategy for Public Service Reforms,” Arabi added.
He added that this initiative is seen as crucial in achieving President Bola Tinubu’s eight priority areas for a renewed agenda focused on improved governance and effective service delivery.
