President Muhammadu Buhari has explained that the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 (CAMA) was enacted to make the anti-corruption campaign stronger, enhancing transparency and corporate accountability.
President Buhari gave the clarification on Thursday in a video message to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) 2020 Virtual Leaders’ Summit on the sidelines of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA75) in New York, United States.
It would be recalled that there had been outcries from various quarters on some specific provisions of the Act, especially from religious bodies and some non-government organisations.
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However, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, President Buhari highlighted the administration’s journey in anti-corruption fight, pointing out that signing the CAMA into law was one of the milestones in the crusade.
”Since the inception of our administration in 2015, the government has been committed to changing international and domestic perceptions regarding Nigeria’s commitment to fight corruption and foster good governance.
”We focused on the task of dealing head-on with this destructive monster, which led to us joining the Open Government Partnership and making reform commitments such as to establish a public central register of beneficial owners of corporate entities.
”Since then, we have made significant progress in implementing tougher anti-corruption measures, including my recent assent to the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.
”The Act provides a legal framework for the implementation of Beneficial Ownership Information Disclosure in Nigeria.
”Being an OGP member-country has helped Nigeria learn from other countries tackling similar challenges, and to build a coalition to support these reforms across the private sector and civil society. It has also aided our journey towards building citizens’ trust in government,” he said.
As COVID-19 cases continue to accelerate worldwide, President Buhari told the Summit that it had become clear that governments cannot solve all the challenges of the pandemic alone, stressing it is only through open governance and working with citizens that nations can succeed.
”We face a significant contraction in the global economy in 2020; the world is facing the unprecedented twin challenges of managing the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.
”In these times, citizens worldwide are seeking more information, engagement, and support from their governments,” he said.
The Nigerian leader pledged that his administration would continue to use its OGP membership to ensure that open government approaches strengthen the pandemic management, adding that the Nigerian government will sustain consultations and engagements with citizens through Civil Society Organisations and the Organised Private Sector on COVID-19 response and recovery plan.
According to the President, ”these consultations are in line with the effort of our administration to encourage public participation in government policies and programs.
”Our recovery package includes support to businesses, to vulnerable communities and an expansion of public works. Our aim is to make all these efforts more effective by making them open. ”
President Buhari recounted that soon after joining this partnership; Nigeria had the privilege of being elected to the OGP Global Steering Committee.
As a leader in the OGP Steering Committee, President Buhari acknowledged that Nigeria has learnt from both government and non-government counterparts on international best practices.
”I am also glad that Nigeria’s pioneering sub-national Open Government Partnership Model has become one of the leading examples driving the expansion of the Open Government Partnership Local Programme.
”Nigeria will also champion the tenets of the Open Government Partnership through our leadership role in regional institutions.
”We aim to expand the partnership on the African Continent by continuing to play a leading role in the International Steering Committee.
”As we look forward to celebrating 10 years of the existence of the Open Government Partnership next year, it is my earnest wish that all countries in the world will adopt Open Government principles and help democracy live up to the expectations of citizens having a voice at and beyond the ballot box, ” he said.
President Buhari thanked the leadership and staff of the OGP Global Support Unit for the enormous work they do to ensure that voices are not only heard but valued.
He encouraged Nigerians to get involved in the OGP and help shape and sustain the country’s democracy now and in the future.
Among those who participated in the virtual event were Heads of State and Government of Argentina, Canada, France, Georgia and Germany as well as civil society leaders who have played a central role in their countries to ensure a full, fair, and inclusive response and recovery.
