CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION STATEMENT AT A ONE-DAY INTERACTIVE TECHNICAL ROUNDTABLE BETWEEN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATION ON THE ‘BILL TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS COMMISSION FOR THE COORDINATION, SUPERVISION AND HARMONIZATION OF THE ACTIVITIES OF NGOS AND CSOS IN NIGERIA’ HELD ON 25 JULY 2017 AT THE ROCKVIEW ROYALE HOTEL, ABUJA
Preamble
We the representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria met in Abuja on July 25, 2017 at the National Assembly & Civil Society Interactive Technical Roundtable to discuss the ‘Bill to Provide for the Establishment of the Non-Governmental Organizations Commission for the Coordination, Supervision and Harmonization of the Activities of NGOs and CSOs In Nigeria’ aka NGO Bill.
The event which was organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Civil Society and Development Partners and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) was attended by over 200 delegates from the Executive, Legislative, Judiciary and a cross-section of NGOs from all parts of the country. The meeting was convened with the main objective of bringing legislators, civil society organisations and other stakeholders together to harness broad based inputs into the draft NGO Bill.
Following the days’ brainstorming session, common narratives and proposals towards the NGO Bill, CSO articulated the following:
Observations
CSOs observed that the enactment of the bill and establishment of a commission to regulate the activities of NGOs and CSOs in Nigeria is not necessary for the following reasons:
Recommendation
We observe that the present feeling that NGOs are not well regulated is because of the weakness or inadequacies of existing regulatory agencies of government and so we recommend the following:
Conclusion
We unequivocally state that this Bill is inconsistent with open democratic practices and therefore should be thrown out without further discussion. We urge the government not to introduce legislations that could jeopardize the work of NGOs, for the greater good of the country, as we would continue to oppose any restriction to what we consider as key indices of a true democratic state.
Signed:
Communique Drafting Committee
Civil Society Organisations
1. Conference of Non- Governmental Organisations | 2. United Voice for Peace and Social Justice | 3. Food Basket Foundation International |
4. Life Care Outreach | 5. Youth Alive Foundation | 6. Chief Abu Ali |
7. Centre for Peace and Positive Leadership | 8. Nigeria Network of NGOs | 9. Society for Gender Empowerment and Development |
10. Aspire African Development Centre | 11. Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre | 12. Africommunity Tech Development Centre |
13. Individual and Community Liberty Organisation | 14. Accord for Community Development | 15. Core for Life |
16. Sheifu Sule Abuh | 17. Josemaria Escrivia Foundation | 18. Human Development Initiative |
19. Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation | 20. Sickle Cell Support Centre | 21. Assoc. of Youth Agricultural and Skills Acquisition Development |
22. Afro Centre for Development, Peace and Justice | 23. Foundation for Leadership and Education Development | 24. HALEL Foundation |
25. Socio Community Youth Organisation of Nigeria | 26. Advocate for Change Initiative | 27. Braveheart Initiative for Youth and Women |
28. Right 2 Know Nigeria | 29. Initiative for Development Education and Learning | 30. National Youth Assembly of Nigeria |
31. Genotype Foundation | 32. Development in Practice Gender Entrepreneurial Initiative | 33. Budget Working Group |
34. Thews Caregivers Initiative | 35. Sapphire Initiative for Girl Child Literacy and Empowerment | 36. Better Community Life Initiative |
37. Kwande Sisters Foundation | 38. Borno Coalition for Democracy and Progress | 39. North East Youth Initiative for Development |
40. Charles Abaagu Foundation | 41. Community Emergency Response Initiative | 42. Enough is Enough Nigeria |
43. Positive Care and Development Foundation | 44. Values Network International | 45. Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice |
46. Phelyn Skill Acquisition Centre | 47. EDASI | 48. Vincent Idukpoya |