CSOs Call for Unified Authority on Regulation of Activities

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

In finding a unified authority towards the regulation of activities for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and to protect it from repressive legislations, the diverse groups converged on Abuja and have called for the creation of a roadmap towards its actualisation.

Representative of Global Rights and Chairman of the Sub-committee, Mr. Edosa Oviawe, in his address to the press, said that there has never been a unified authority to regulate the CSOs, noting that in a perfect society, there would be no need for such.

Speaking on the first day of the three-day National Conference on Civil Society Operational Environment, which is said to be the first of its kind in Nigeria, Oviawe said: “The broad objective of the conference is to create an opportunity for stakeholders to synergise efforts at improving the CSOs regulatory environment.

“The conference is on appropriate instruments of regulation and effective processes to regulate CSOs operation in Nigeria as well as increasing broad public awareness about the roles of CSOs and the need for an enabling regulatory environment to protect the sector from repressive legislation.

“This convergence is the first of its kind to provide a neutral platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue and ensure that all relevant opinions from all concerned groups are holistically collected.

“It is, therefore, hoped that this conference will result in the development of comprehensive recommendations arising from the resolutions reached and agree on modalities for implementing the recommendations.”

In his contribution, the representative of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, said that every society needs the CSOs and already, modalities have been put in place for a unified authority at the national and subnational levels where there could be frameworks to map out the way forward.

“We’re engaging and would continue until we get there. Regulation is seen from a positive point of view as CSOs are stakeholders in Development.

“We have put modalities in place for a unified authority at the national and subnational levels where there can be frameworks to map out the way forward,” Nwankwo said.

The National Conference on Civil Society Operational Environment is supported with funding from the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS and the Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT) Programme which is implemented by the British Council.