By GARBA MUHAMMAD

The Kaduna State Government will begin the onboarding of 22 Local Government Area (LGA) Chairpersons into the Open Government Partnership (OGP) framework as part of efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and leadership in Primary Health Care (PHC) service delivery across the state.

The onboarding programme, scheduled for June 15–16, 2026, will be followed by a Leadership Dialogue on Strengthening Primary Health Care Systems on June 17 in Abuja.

The meetings are being organised by the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and the Planning and Budget Commission in collaboration with the EngenderHealth-led Consortium and other stakeholders.

According to the invitation, the events will be declared open by the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State and will bring together LGA Chairpersons, senior government officials, development partners, civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders.

The OGP onboarding is expected to sensitise local government chairpersons on the principles and benefits of open governance while exposing them to successful sub-national experiences in the implementation of the Open Government Partnership.

A major highlight of the workshop will be a presentation by the Maternal Accountability Mechanism in Kaduna Initiative (KADMAM), on “The Co-Creation Role of Civil Society in Improving Health Service Delivery: A Step-by-Step Guide.” The session will underscore the importance of collaboration among government institutions, communities, civil society organisations, professional associations, faith-based organisations and the media in promoting accountability, citizen participation and improved health outcomes.

The workshop will also feature discussions on primary health care delivery in Kaduna State, local government OGP structures, development of health-focused action plans, strategic commitments, implementation roadmaps and timelines for action plan submission. Participants will further review successful local governance experiences, examine socio-economic data for evidence-based decision-making and discuss mechanisms for securing political commitment to OGP implementation at the grassroots level.

Participants are expected to commit to the development of health-focused OGP action plans, establish OGP Steering Committees comprising government and civil society representatives, and agree on timelines for submitting the plans to the State OGP Secretariat.

The organisers said the initiative is aimed at deepening transparency, citizen participation and accountability in governance while strengthening local ownership of health sector reforms.

The Leadership Dialogue on Strengthening Primary Health Care Systems will focus on clarifying local government governance and financing responsibilities under the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) framework.

The dialogue will also seek to strengthen collaboration between the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board and local government councils, while promoting community accountability and citizen engagement as critical drivers of improved PHC performance.

Stakeholders are expected to deliberate on strategies for enhancing leadership, coordination and sustainable financing of primary health care services at the grassroots level.

The meeting forms part of ongoing efforts by the Kaduna State Government and its partners to strengthen health systems, improve service delivery and achieve better health outcomes for communities across the state.