Yusuf Oketola
OSUN State House of Assembly has been asked to promulgate laws that will ensure continuation of ongoing or abandoned projects by successive administration.
The request was made by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the assembly, Hon. Adewale Egbedun.
In the letter signed by the Osun State Chairman of the organisation, Comrade Emmanuel Olowu, CDHR requested the assembly to promulgate a law that will stop abrogation of developmental programmes, policies and projects of past administrations.
The human rights group said the request was aimed at ensuring that democratic processes are not taken for granted and that power is not abused by any of the three arms of government when there is change in leadership of the state.
The letter reads in part: “It becomes important that we call the attention of the Osun State House Of Assembly to the promulgation of a law that will stop the abrogation of developmental programs, policies and projects of past administrations. The assembly needs to enact a law that will state the process of abrogation of programs.
“This request is aimed at ensuring that democratic processes are not taken for granted and power is not abused by any of the three arms of government whenever there is change of government. Doing this will set a path for full participation of the citizens in governance, promote project and program continuity and promote the Freedom of Information Act to hold public office holders to account.
“The abrogation of past government policies, programmes and projects without proper democratic processes raises concerns about accountability and true representation of the electorate. In democratic societies, transparency in decision-making and public participation in governance is aimed at ensuring that policies reflect the collective will of the people and not just the decision of the rulers.
“Hasty and politically motivated abrogation of polices automatically suspends the diverse voices and perspectives of the populace, potentially leading to policies that do not align with the needs and aspirations of the people.
“A robust democratic system involves open discussions, expert opinions and engagement with citizens to make informed choices. Avoiding this process may lead to unintended consequences and erode the foundation of a fair and representative governance system.”
