Osun Assembly Launches e-Parliament Portal In June Towards Effective Legislation

Yusuf Oketola

The State of Osun House of Assembly will in June 2022 launch an e-parliament portal towards effective Legislative activities in the state.

This is as the 7th Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) for the actualisation of the project.

The e-parliament is an interactive platform that will help citizens and residents of Osun to keep track bills under the legislative process and those passed among other features.

Speaking at the signing of the MoU on Tuesday, Speaker of the House, Timothy Owoeye noted that the development of E-parliament will, among other things, facilitate ease of doing parliamentary business, strengthen the relationship between the legislature and the public and above all, bridge the gap between Legislators and their constituents.

Owoeye stressed that the project will also enhance democratic practices and inclusive governance and thus bridge the massive gap and mitigate the weak relationship between Legislators and their constituents.

“It will be recalled that shortly after the inauguration of the 7th Assembly in the year 2019, a 6-point Legislative Agenda was developed basically to give direction and chart the course of action for parliamentary activities. Apart from the development of e-parliament platform, other components of the 7th Assembly’s Legislative Agenda include Quality Legislation, Effective Oversight, Accountable and Democratic Assembly. Effective Public Engagement and Legislative Research Centre. While frantic efforts are being made towards

“Achieving the other five components, it is equally essential to focus attention of the development of e-parliament platform in order to meet up with the demands of the contemporary legislation. More importantly, e-parliament is considered to be the engine room for other components of the legislative Agenda.

“The e-parliament entails the use of internet services, telecommunications and Information Technology equipment and services and activities to enhance parliamentary transparency, accessibility and accountability.

” The ICT has proved to be a significant supportive and facilitative power for effectively fulfilling the duties and responsibilities granted to parliaments by the Constitution. In order to carry out the functions of legislation. representation and oversight more effectively, to connect with.

“Coming on board of e-parliament in the State House of Assembly, legislators would be in constant communication, consultation, interaction and dialogue with their constituents.

“In addition, it will also enhance democratic practices and inclusive governance and thus bridge the massive gap and mitigate the weak relationship between the legislators and their constituents”. He said.

In his address, the Executive Director of Kimpact Development Initiative, Mr Bukola Idowu said Osun Assembly will be the first state in Nigeria to develop and deplore an entire e-parliament platform for citizen Legislative engagement.

Idowu added that project will be instrumental in strengthening citizen engagement, providing innovative ways to interact with them and enabling their access to parliamentary proceedings and documents.

He reiterated that the e-parliament will be ready and launched by June 2022 with the timely collaborative effort of the OSHA.