Anambra launches platform for open data accessibility, strengthening citizen engagements

 

By Okechukwu Onuegbu

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, on Thursday, launched Solution Lens, a civic technology platform developed to promote transparency, accountability, make data available and active citizens engagements.

The platform launched by Anambra State Ministry of Budget & Economic Planning in collaboration with Ministry of Information and Anambra State ICT Agency, would empower all the citizens, including communities, students, civil society members and journalists to access and report progress of ongoing, completed projects, programmes and among others.

Accessible through https://lens.anambrastate.gov.ng, the State government has equally trained and empowered focal persons and others to help in making the platform effectively and efficiently operated by all through constant updating of the platform.

Soludo, 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 instruments to engage and empower all, strenghtening the government cycles and onboard the citizens as feedback mechanism," he added.

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, added that 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.

On his part, the Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata posited that it was an interactive platform that people would love to engage, interrogate with 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," he added.

In their respective speeches, the Coordinator, Anambra State Civil Society Network, Prince Chris Azor and the Chairman, Anambra State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dr Odogwu Emeka Odogwu represented by the Secretary, Dr Okechukwu Onuegbu while praising the initiative, urged good maintenance of the platform and updates for effective utilisation.