Osun Introduces Online News Portal For Improved Communication With Citizens

In furtherance of its drive for innovation and transparency, the state government of Osun is unveiling a new online platform under its ‘New Media’ plans. The government, through this effort, seeks to raise the bar of public engagement and deepen the Osun brand in the increasingly vibrant Nigerian online space.
The Osun New Media Project seeks to provide the global online audience with a one-stop shop for uniquely robust coverage of Osun. This online platform will break from convention by showcasing information beyond the state government. The platform will avail the public of such information that is more relevant to the needs of citizens (local and diaspora), investors and interested parties.
This innovation in content will include information on: Osun Socialand, Emergency Services, Profiles and Contact Details of Key Officials across all levels and arms of government, the Osun Development Agenda, Programmes and Projects, a Socio–cultural – historical documentation of Osun, a showcase of the Osun brand. Effectively, the project seeks to establish the new online platform as a portal to all information concerning the state.
The platform boasts a few interesting citizens engagement features that are arguably firsts among government websites in the country. These features are such that allow for deeper interactivity with citizens, investors and interested parties. It is believed that the provision of such features will bring governance closer to the people and consequently engender development.
Know Your Reps, is one of such new features that the platform offers. As the name suggests, the feature allows the average Osun citizen to access the profile details of key elected and/or appointed officials that serve the citizen’s respective constituency. Effectively, the feature provides the average citizen with a personalized list of representatives that serve him/her.
The feature works, by showcasing the profile details: name, office and contact of the local government chairman/executive secretary, state House of Assembly member, member of the House of Representatives and Senator once the citizen (based anywhere in the world) indicates his/her local government.
With such information at their disposal, Osun citizens will be able to enquire or follow-up on development issues, directly with their elected representatives in various levels of government. It is believed that such multi-level personalized contacts list is unprecedented in our country.
The online platform also provides a dynamic, citizens feedback feature, aptly named Meet the Ogbeni.
Through this tool, users will be able to channel messages or enquiries to government from the comfort of their homes or offices. Meet the Ogbeni will work by providing the user with a facility to post messages covering diverse aspects of governance: agriculture, infrastructure and education among others; to government. The system seeks to provide swift feedback to enquiries and messages made.
Towards a richer user experience, the platform boasts in addition, such features as:
·Profiles directory where resumes and official contact details of key officials across all levels and arms of government are accessible.
·Contacts directory for key social and emergency services provided by Government.
·An electronic newsletter service, that provides daily updates on government activities.
·An engaging display of Achievements in numbers of the current administration.
·An automated integration of news content across multiple social media channels.
·A sleek, ‘easy on the eye’ and multi-device user interface design.
·A robust search facility.
The new Osun Online Platform is billed to be beneficial in multiple levels. The platform will help in advancing the state’s transparency and innovation goals, consequently setting a new high for government online channels.
For the people, the platform will avail them the opportunity to Know and engage more with government. They will be better placed to call the attention of leaders to the issues that concern them.
For investors, the platform will provide a simple interface to assess the state’s development plans, synergize and easily communicate with government for further enquiries.
For the government, the platform will serve as a medium to reach out quicker and more efficiently to the global audience.
Osun Online Platform is accessible from www.osun.gov.ng
THE GAZELLE NEWS