From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), on Thursday trained 20 women campaign promise trackers in Osun State to ensure the even distribution of positions among men and women including persons with disabilities.
The group stated that the Osun trackers would monitor the Governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke, just as those trained in Ekiti will monitor the new governor, Biodun Oyebanji.
The training organized by NWTF in conjunction with MacArthur Foundation and Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), invited women from each local government in Osun for the training held at Aenon Suites and hotel international, Osogbo.
The programme director, Ere Amachree, noted that the group is concerned with the failure of governments to fulfil their electioneering promises and the poor recognition of women in the government.
She explained that the trackers will among others, look into the position given to men and women, including persons with disabilities.
“We are not a group of confrontational group of women who are going to fight politicians but to help them to hold them accountable for the promises they made to people during the electioneering period. We are also going to track appointments made by the government because by law it must be 35 per cent for women,” she added.
The resource person, Jide Ojo, who spoke on understanding campaign promises from a gender perspective, steps to track campaign promises and the legal context, noted that Nigerians must rise to challenge the government and ensure that they fulfil their promises made to the electorates.
He explained that the new governor of Ekiti state, Biodun Oyebanji, promised a six-point action plan, adding that the Osun governor-elect promised five-point agenda during the electioneering.
He noted that Nigeria is lacking behind in reminding the government of their campaign promises, hence the reason they (governors) deviate from the promises made to the people and share positions based on sentiment.
