By Nasratu Kargbo
Executive Director of the Institute for Government Reform (IGR) Andrew Lavali has handed over the Citizen’s manifesto to the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party so that they can include some of the elements highlighted in the citizen’s manifesto into the party’s manifesto which is yet to be published.
Presenting the manifesto to the APC National Secretary- General Lanssana Dumbuya on the 11th May 2023, Lavali said: “We are here to campaign to you, to canvas you so that these priorities that are identified by citizens can be featured in your manifesto”.
He said he believes no political party is happy with the country’s condition, therefore the citizens have requested that the next administration addresses six areas for which they will in turn as citizens undertake an evaluation in 2026.
Listing the six demands made by the citizens, Lavali said the people want the next administration to focus on 50% youth employment, reduce the police from the street and install traffic lights, ensure not less than 15% and not more than 30% distribution of public appointment, assets publication for candidates, electronic payment for traffic offences and court cases to reduce corruption and ask that political parties commit to paying executive members of political parties with seats in parliament from the Consolidated Fund.
He also mentioned the commitments made by citizens to stop throwing garbage on the street, stop building houses in unauthorized locations, and desist from putting undue pressure on judges, police, magistrates and election management bodies (EMBs) etc.
Lavali explained that in the development of the manifesto, representatives of political parties that are in parliament were there with them to review their tools, methodologies and validating the result to ensure consistency.
He said they spoke to 800 (eight hundred) opinion leaders and reached out to 2,400 (two thousand four hundred) people across the country.
IGR’s Research and Policy Director and President of 50/50 Group Fredline M’Comack Hale also handed the Women’s Manifesto to the Secretary- General.
Presenting the manifesto on behalf of the women in the country, M’Comack Hale highlighted seven key priority areas that they want the party to include in their manifesto such as socio- economic well-being and opportunities, human rights and rule of law, climate change, women’s peace and security, women’s health and reproductive right, and women’s political participation amongst others.
The National Secretary General of the All Peoples Congress (APC) Lansana Dumbuya said that some of the things highlighted in the citizens manifesto is already in theirs, but promised to hand over the manifesto to their leader.
He added that whatever is in the citizens manifesto that they believe is for the interest of the people will be included in theirs, which he said will be out soon.
Dumbuya assured they are committed to ensuring that women are included in various aspects of governance.
The objective of the citizen’s manifesto is to make sure that what the citizens want is featured in political parties’ manifestoes, to make the election policy-driven and issue- based rather than personality- based.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (15/05/23)
