The Nigerian Ports Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with BudgIT Information Technology Network to open up its budget for the public.

The General Manager, Public Affairs, Chief Michael Ajayi, in a statement on Monday in Lagos, said the MoU would promote transparency and accountability.

The Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Usman, said the partnership became necessary for the development of an open budget system platform and implementation of a public data dissemination programme.

She said that this would help the organisation in blocking revenue leakages.

Usman said the MoU would provide Nigerians with all the necessary information during implementation of the NPA’s budget.

She said BudgIT had achieved feats in socio-technological advocacy toward opening up of public budgets for citizens’ comprehension.

Usman said with the MoU, NPA would be able to deliver its mandate and create more wealth for Nigerians.

She said that the MoU would also assist NPA as a critical organ in the economic artery of the nation to promote effective and efficient management of all its terminals across the country.

The managing director said the partnership, apart from promoting transparency in public expenditure, would also instil a framework for transparent budget provisions for the authority.

She said the MoU would allow stakeholders to add their inputs, “encourage participatory governance by way of feedback and creates an enabling environment to encourage foreign investment’’.

She added, “The collaboration will ensure that key research, industry policies and innovations are effectively communicated.

“It will also ensure that critical data are generated and made accessible for policy makers, private sector actors, stakeholders and the general public.”

The Lead Partner of BudgIT, Mr. Oluseun Onigbinde, said NPA was the first revenue generating government agency to make its budget public.

He said the Management of the NPA would not regret keying into the programme.

Onigbinde said the collaboration, apart from promoting probity, transparency and accountability, would also restore government and public confidence in the Management of NPA.