Stakeholders across government, civil society and youth groups on Wednesday convened in Kaduna for a one-day multi-stakeholder dialogue on strengthening citizens’ engagement in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and democratic governance.

The dialogue was organised by the OpenGov Youth Innovation Hub in collaboration with the Youth Advocacy Coalition on Democratic Dividends and the Kaduna Democracy Drivers Network.

The theme of the engagement was “OGP Youth Engagement Power Plan: An Enabler for Effective Citizens’ Participation in Democratic Governance.”

In an address, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Youth Development, Gloria Ibrahim, described the engagement as timely and strategic.

She said the strong turnout of young people reflected growing interest in governance and public policy processes.

“This engagement is not just about participation; it is about building confidence, strengthening voices, and ensuring active involvement of young people in decision-making,” she said.

Ms Ibrahim emphasised that young people must take ownership of governance processes that affect their lives.

She said, “You are not just part of the government; you are the government. If you do not engage, then who will carry that responsibility forward?”

She noted that the establishment of the ministry of youth development was aimed at bridging the gap between young people and governance.

According to her, the initiative underscored the government’s commitment to inclusive and participatory governance.

She, therefore, encouraged participants, described as “Youth Bridges,” to contribute ideas and share perspectives during the dialogue.

“Do not underestimate yourselves. Young people are intelligent, innovative and capable of shaping policies,” she said.

In his remarks, the director of monitoring and evaluation, Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission, Bashir Ladan, stressed the importance of inclusive governance.

Mr Ladan, represented by Yerima Jatau, commended the organisers for creating a platform that promotes dialogue and co-creation.

“The theme aligns with our aspiration to build a system that is transparent, accountable and citizen-centred,” he said.

He noted that young people are not only stakeholders but also drivers of development.

“Engaging youth strengthens evidence-based decision-making and improves policy outcomes,” he added.

The director reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to supporting transparency and citizen engagement initiatives.

Also speaking, the OGP Point of Contact in Kaduna State, Tara Jeremiah, highlighted the significance of the dialogue within the OGP framework.

He described OGP as a platform that fosters inclusive engagement between government and citizens.

Mr Jeremiah said Kaduna State’s participation in OGP followed a formal commitment to open governance.

“At its core, OGP is about dialogue, not confrontation. It provides a structured platform for improving governance outcomes,” he said.

He noted that the state was transitioning from policy frameworks to implementation.

“What we seek now is to translate these frameworks into practical, community-level actions,” he said.

Mr Jeremiah emphasised that co-creation remains a key principle of OGP processes.

In a remark, the OGP Citizens Co-Chair, Musa Suleiman, underscored the importance of collaboration.

Mr Sulaiman, represented by Mahmud Shehu, said the engagement brings together government, civil society, private sector and citizens to drive progress.

“This is not just another meeting; it is an opportunity to move from discussion to action,” he said.

Mr Sulaiman noted that the outcomes would enhance accountability and improve service delivery.

He urged participants to become active contributors to governance processes.

Participants expressed optimism that the dialogue would strengthen youth inclusion in governance.

The engagement is part of efforts to deepen open governance reforms in Kaduna State.

The forum focused on presenting the OGP Youth Engagement Power Plan in alignment with the Kaduna State Youth Policy and the OGP State Action Plan (SAP III).

It also provided a platform for stakeholders to identify priority pathways for the immediate operationalisation of the plan.

Another key objective was to secure formal commitments from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to integrate the power plan into their annual work plans.

Participants at the engagement discussed the establishment of a youth-led OGP Monitoring Committee to produce bi-annual progress reports on implementation.

(NAN)