FIWON holds town hall meeting with Osun Gubernatorial candidates ahead of September election

By Olawale Adewale, The Nigerian Voice, Osogbo 

Federation of Informal Workers Organisation of Nigeria (FIWON) has held a town hall meeting with the gubernatorial candidates of political parties participating in the September 22nd election in the state.

The FIWON Coordinator in Osun state, Comrade Ibrahim Olayinka said the town hall meeting was aimed at facilitating engagement between the citizens and the candidates so as to listen to the candidates, assess them and demand good governance.

Olayinka said the citizens want social protection net that would banish poverty and make life meaningful for them. He said FIWON want people oriented policies that could reduce poverty and vulnerabilities among informal workers and the generality of the people in the state.

Olayinka told the governorship candidates that FIWON wants whoever that wins the election to addressed issues of incessant harassment of artisans, excessive taxation, poor access to affordable credits and loans.

He commended the Friedrish Ebert Stiftung (FES), a German-based non governmental organisation that supported FIWON to organise the town hall meeting.

Olayinka also charged the governorship to guide against violence before, during and after the election. He also reiterated the need for inclusiveness in governance so that the citizens would participate in government.

Friedrish Ebert Stiftung (FES), a German -based non governmental organisation has charged governorship aspirants in the coming Sept. 22 gubernatorial election in Osun to focus on the useful engagement of Informal workers for good governance and support of democratic institution when elected as Governor.

Speaking on the occasion, the representative of FES, Mrs Remi ihejerika said the town hall meeting was aimed at creating a platform for the governorship and the citizens in the informal sector to engage so as to strengthen good governance and also provide social protection for the workers.

According to her, workers in the informal sector constituted about 60 percent of the workforces in Nigeria but their issues are not given adequate attention like the formal workers being paid by the government.

She said informal workers are so vulnerable in the economy despites their immense contribution to the growth of the country but get little in return.

Remi said ,"the workers are the ones who will vote and elect who shall represent them and the need for them to seat with candidates of the political parties to articulate their needs was sacrosanct."

"I believe once there is an interaction between the candidates and the informal workers, it would be difficult to loose sight of the voters when elected into office."

"The candidates need to hear from them and look at how they can integratenin their manifesto, needs and their concerns," she said.