Citizen groups meet to develop peoples' charter for Ekiti, Osun Governorship candidates

By Olawale Adewale, The Nigerian Voice, Osogbo 

Citizen groups in Osun and Ekiti states have come together to formulate a people's charter for the governorship candidates in the July 14 and September 22 governorship election in the two states.

The meeting which was held in Ekiti was organized by Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn, (PERL), a project of the Department for International Department.

During the formulation process, the Head of the Democracy and Governance Unit of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission, Ibadan, Mr Jide Bamgbose highlighted the techniques for developing people's manifesto which was described as social contract and otherwise known as citizen's charter.

Cross-Learning meeting with citizen groups and stakeholders in Ekiti and Osun on election engagement was attended by about 15 citizens groups and the Civil Society Organizations as well as the media.

In his presentation, Dr Adebukola Adebayo of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs emphasized the need for social inclusion, particularly the people with disabilities.

The groups that attended the meeting include Justice, Development and Peace Makers' Center, Joint National Association of Persons With Disability (JONAPWD), National Council for Women Society, Federation of Informal Workers Organization of Nigeria among others.

At the end of the process, the citizen's charter that would be formulated would be presented to candidates of various political parties in Ekiti and Osun states so that the would-be governors of the two states would incorporate the citizen's charter into their agenda.