The Edo government has unveiled an Inter-Governmental Collaboration Committee (IGCC) to strengthen collaboration, information sharing and coordination among ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in the state.

The commissioner for special duties and inter-governmental relations, Ken Ihensekhien, said the committee would strengthen coordination among the various arms and tiers of government and support implementation of the state’s SHINE Agenda.

Mr Ihensekhien said this at an engagement on “Strengthening Inter-Entities and Inter-Governmental Collaborations for Effective Governance and Development” organised by the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations and sponsored by the Edo government in Benin on Wednesday.

He said implementing the SHINE Agenda required the collective efforts of the legislature, executive and judiciary, as well as collaboration among the federal, state and local governments, development partners and other stakeholders.

The commissioner said effective communication and coordination among institutions would enable government to respond better to citizens’ needs and achieve sustainable development.

Speaking, Peter Osagie, permanent secretary, Directorate of Corporate Change, Performance Management and Organisational Design, Edo State Civil Service, said the IGCC was designed to strengthen coordination, improve information flow and foster collaboration among government institutions.

Mr Osagie said government effectiveness depended not only on what individual MDAs and levels of government did independently but also on how effectively they coordinated their activities.

He said the committee would help reduce working in silos, improve access to data and minimise duplication of efforts.

According to him, the IGCC would comprise permanent secretaries, commissioners, and representatives of the Edo State House of Assembly and Judiciary, among others.

He said the committee would hold scheduled meetings to discuss issues concerning the SHINE Agenda, assess project implementation and monitor results.

Mr Osagie said the expected outcomes included faster information flow, better MDA collaboration, improved project visibility, evidence-based decision-making, stronger monitoring and improved service delivery.

He said SHINE agents would be unveiled and trained to serve as liaison officers, supporting information gathering and coordination among institutions.

Also speaking, Nosa Izekor, representing the ICT team of the Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, said the IGCC information system would provide a central digital platform for information sharing and institutional coordination.

Mr Izekor said the platform would enable MDAs to access information on projects, activities and key performance indicators of other institutions, as well as information on development partners and donors.

He said each MDA would be able to upload relevant information for access by authorised users, adding that the system was still being developed.

According to him, its development would involve relevant stakeholders, including the Office of the Head of Service, the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, ICTA, Edo DiDA and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

Mr Izekor said the platform would support the SHINE Agenda, covering security, health, infrastructure, natural resources and education, and help MDAs move away from working in silos.

Panelists at a session on “Sustaining Development in Contemporary Times: The Role of Inter-MDA Collaboration and Institutional Governance Coordination” stressed that MDAs were not competing against one another but working towards common government goals.

They urged commissioners and permanent secretaries to collaborate, remain united and work closely to achieve the government’s objectives and promote effective governance.

The panelists also emphasised the importance of institutional memory, noting that career civil servants, permanent secretaries and directors have important roles in ensuring continuity in policy implementation.

They said aligning the SHINE Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), alongside youth empowerment, innovation and security, remained important for sustaining development in the state.

(NAN)