Osun Drives eGovernance Adoption For Public Participation

Efforts geared towards strengthening public participation in governance is headed in the right direction. The Osun state government has unveiled a new online platform under its ‘New Media’ plans aimed at deepening the state’s brand in the increasingly vibrant Nigerian online space.
According to Semiu Okanlawon, director, bureau of communications and strategy, Office of the Governor, the platform will avail the general public with information relevant to the needs of citizens (local and Diaspora), investors and interested parties.
In terms of content, Okanlawon said, “the platform will provide information on; Osun Social and Emergency Services, Profiles and Contact Details of Key Officials across all levels and arms of Government among other project.”
It will highlight Osun Development Agenda, Programmes and Projects, A Socio – Cultural – Historical documentation of Osun and showcase the Osun brand. The project,he pointed out, seeks to establish the new online platform as a portal to all information concerning the state. “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. This feature provides the average citizen with a personalised list of representatives that serve him/her.
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, synergise and easily communicate with government for further enquiries. He said with such information at people’s disposal, Osun citizens will be able to enquire or follow-up on development issues, directly with their elected representatives in various levels of government.
Okanlawon revealed that the online platform will also provide a dynamic, citizens feedback feature, aptly named ‘Meet the Ogbeni’, noting that through this tool, users will be able to channel messages or enquiries to government from the comfort of their homes or offices.
www.osun.gov.ng
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