Osun PWDs Bill: “Your contributions are golden”- Osun lawmaker hails JDPMC
A member representing Obokun Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewumi Adeyemi has commended a prominent, faith-based and Non-governmental Organization in the State also known as Justice, Development and Peace Makers’ Centre (JDPMC), Osogbo for its enriched contributions towards the Osun State Disability Protection Bill, 2023.
Honourable Adewumi gave the commendation on the floor of the House during the Public Hearing on the Osun State Disability Protection bill, 2023 sponsored by the Lawmaker.
The Lawmaker described JDPMC Osogbo as a game changer in the drive for human capital development and added that its zeal and passion for promoting inclusivity irrespective of gender, colour, race and religion could not matched in the State.
Speaking further, the lawmaker said that the contributions of the Organization had immensely enriched the Bill and made it worthwhile, he therefore assured the Organization and the General Public that every contribution made would be considered during the next committee hearing on the bill.
“I am not surprised at the contributions made by the JDPMC on the floor of the House today, your zeal and passion for the less privileged particularly your drive for human capital development initiative has always been second to none. You have enriched this Bill and your contributions are golden, I equally assure the people of Osun that every contribution to this Bill will be considered accordingly.” He said.
Earlier in his recommendations on behalf of the Organization, the General Coordinator of the Justice, Development and Peace Makers, Centre, Osogbo, Rev. Fr. Peter Akinkunmi said that the Bill was not far from the heartbeat and yearnings of the Persons With Disabilities and lauded the thoughtfulness of the lawmaker as well as the entire 8th Osun Assembly under the Leadership of Honourable Speaker, Adewale Egbedun.
Fr. Akinkunmi however pointed out the need for creating sections that would promote Persons With Disabilities’ participation in Politics and Governance as well as the establishment of an Agency that would expressly be in charge of the Bill for proper implementation.
He therefore noted that the Organization was more than willing to partner with Corporate Bodies or Individuals of shared visions in bringing change to the State and Country at large.
The highlight of the RECOMMENDATIONS of the JDPMC:
1. PWDs PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE.
There is a need to include a section that will promote Persons With Disabilities’ (PWDs) participation in Politics and Governance with the specific provision from the Political party to give a certain percentage to PWDs to contest for different elective positions at all levels of government in the state. Also in terms of appointment, a minimum of 5% must be earmarked for all appointments in the state at all levels of government.
2. THE NEED FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF GOVERNMENT AGENCY FOR PWDs
There should also be an agency of Government which may be under the Ministry of Sports and Special Needs that will be in charge of the implementation of this bill as many other necessary provisions needed by PWDs, by implication, this will enable the Government to have the support of foreign donors or Philanthropists who could help in some areas of the needs of PWDs in the state.
Peacekeeping: JDPMC presents a toll-free telephone line to Osun NSCDC to sustain peace
As part of the laudable initiative to strengthen the security grid and sustain existing peaceful co-existence in Osun State, especially putting her on the security-crisis-free roadmap in Nigeria and the world, the Justice, Development and Peace Makers’ Centre (JDPMC), Osogbo has presented a toll-free telephone line to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command.
The prominent and faith-based Organization presented the Device at the Biannual Stakeholders’ Dialogue Meeting on Peaceful Co-existence between Farmers and Herders in Osun State.
According to the General Coordinator of the JDPMC Osogbo, Rev.Fr.Peter Akinkunmi, the gesture was aimed to stimulate rapid response actions in the Command and enhance their security efforts so as to head off any civil unrest that might arise, particularly between Osun Farmers and Herders in the State.
Speaking further during the handing over of the Device, Rev.Fr.Peter Akinkunmi said that the partnership consideration of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun State Command was borne out of the need assessment of capacity strengthening of the command and the fulfilment of the JDPMC’s vision-mission statement which aims at pragmatic action for Justice and Peace in every community more importantly to foster inter-ethnic tolerance and relations.
He, therefore, urged the command led by Commandant Sunday Agboola to justify the decision by being more proactive in the communal-clash mediation and intervention while appreciating them for their sacrificial efforts in the past in ensuring that Peaceful co-existence in Osun is sustained.
“You have been one of our highly valued partners in the State, especially in the area of Peace sustainability between Farmers and Pastoralists which had in no small measure been helpful to our vision as an Organization, if anyone asks why the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun State Command, this is simply the reason,
Our ultimate goal is to strengthen and sustain peaceful co-existence among members of the communities irrespective of tribe, colour, age or gender, not only this but also to entrench sustainable agriculture through human capital development. It is our sincere hope that you will justify the confidence reposed in you by being more proactive in this peace business”. He concluded
Responding to the kind gesture, Commandant Sunday Agboola ably represented by the Head of Peace and Conflict Management Department, Mr.Paul Akinwolere commended and gave kudos to Justice, Development and Peace Makers’ Centre, Osogbo for the laudable initiative he therefore reaffirmed the commitment and maximum cooperation of the Command to the JDPMC and good people of the State at large.
Also speaking on the development, the Chairman of Seriki-Fulani in Osun State, Alhaji Ibrahim Babatunde and the President of Sustainable Farmers Association (SUFA), Elder Adewumi Adelowotan expressed their optimism on the outcome the initiative would bring about, equally promised to collaborate more with one another to achieve sustainable peace in the State.
Osun Nomination: JDPMC expresses concern over poor observation of 35% affirmative action by Gov Adeleke
The concern of JDPMC on the Growing Marginalization of Women and Degeneration of Participatory Democracy in the Governance of Osun State.
The Justice, Development and Peace Makers Centre has been actively engaging state and non-state actors as well as the citizens of Osun state on the way out of degenerative acts of marginalization and exclusion of women in governance and participatory democracy in Osun state. We hereby express our deeper concern about the new development today, which rather indicates a worsening situation in spite of the multi-stakeholders’ efforts to chart a way forward for the state. The concern is as a result of the recent list of Commissioners and Special Advisers’ nominees released by the State government and announced through the Speaker of the House.
In collaboration with local and international partners, JDPMC along with other Civil Society Organizations, the media and numerous groups and concerned citizens have actively and tirelessly engaged the political leadership in the state to map out strategies towards a political reengineering of participatory democracy that reflects a steady increase in the inclusion of women in governance in Osun State with a vision beyond the 35% Affirmative Action. Sadly, as the team of JDPMC analyzed the lists submitted to the State House of Assembly, it is discovered that women make up only 8% (2 women out of 25). This is not only unreasonably below the 35% Affirmative Actions for women inclusion governance, but it also clearly indicates a sharp drop in the percentage of women inclusion in the history of Osun State within the last 8 years.
It should be recalled that at least, Osun State was close to halfway to achieving the 35% affirmative action for women. Between 2014 and 2018, the state government led by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola had 38 executive members comprising 22 commissioners and 16 special assistants, 6 out of these 38 were women making up 15% of his cabinet. During the immediate past administration led by Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, 5 out of the 35 commissioners and Special Advisers, were women making 14% of the women in his cabinet reflecting a 1% drop. In the immediate past 7th Assembly of the State legislature, 2 out of 26 members were women. In the current 8th Assembly of the State, there is no woman as a member of the House out of the 26 members in the State’s legislative arm of government. This constitutes Osun State as the only State in the entire Southwest Nigeria to reflect such degenerative development in terms of women’s inclusion.
JDPMC considers this development to stand contrary to the Osun Women Policy Agenda that was developed by Osun Women and stakeholders championed by JDPMC and which was signed by His Excellency, Senator Nurudeen Ademola Jackson Adeleke on the 2nd of July, 2022 at his country home, Ede ahead of the July 16, 2022 governorship. He strengthened the pact with words of promise to personally champion the implementation of the 35% affirmative action in the appointive positions in Osun State. This pact which was widely circulated and reflected in several political conversations ahead of the election is significant to the massive support of women that Senator Ademola Adeleke enjoyed during the election.
We, therefore, urge the government under the able leadership of His Excellency, Senator Nurudeen Ademola Jackson Adeleke urgently re-address the situation in keeping with his promise and as well as ensuring that his government’s decision reflects the evolutional progress of inclusive participatory democracy in Osun State.
JDPMC retains its sole vision of working neutrally with all people of goodwill for the emergence of a developed, just, peaceful and stable society that creates the right atmosphere for all peoples to actualize their potential, in the promotion of shared common humanity
Long live Osun State.
signed
Rev. Fr. Peter Akinkunmi
General Coordinator
Justice, Development and Peace Makers’ Centre, Osogbo.
World Environment Day: JDPMC harps on recycling culture to save the Earth
A prominent, faith-based, not-for-profit and non-governmental Organization in Osun State known as Justice, Development and Peace Makers’ Centre (JDPMC), Osogbo has charged Nigerians especially end users of plastic materials in the country to imbibe the culture of recycling in their day to day activity in order to save the environment from further degradation.
This charge was made known in a statement released by the organisation through the Department of the Rural Development Programmes which was aimed to commemorate this year’s World Environment Day.
According to the statement “the Planet Earth is experiencing the gravest threat to life as an estimated 19-23 tons of unrecycled plastics yearly, end up in lakes, rivers and seas and this in turn find their way to the food we eat, water we drink and even the air we breathe, posing a serious threat to human and animal health. In response to this, the Rural Development Programme of the JDPMC supports and joins the campaign on plastic recycling so as to beat plastic pollution and restore the ecosystem for the benefit of all.
The Organization also urged the relevant stakeholders in the business of environmental safety and climate change solutions to renew their efforts and approaches so as to put an end to environmental degradation while expressing her readiness for a partnership towards the mission.