- Umeh commended the European Union through the British Council for supporting and promoting the relationship between the National Assembly and CSOs.
- Umeh said that the workshop would provide direction on how to make use of the activities of CSOs in making progressive laws and various intervention legislations that would help curb the ills in the society.
The national assembly says it is ready to reopen the civil society organisations’ liaison office for deeper collaboration with civil society organisations (CSOs), for deeper collaboration with civil society organisations (CSOs),
Victor Umeh, chairman of the senate committee on diaspora a non-governmental poganisations (NGOs)made this disclosure in Lagos at the opening of a two-day joint workshop for the senate committee on diaspora and non-governmental organisations and house of representatives committee on civil societies and development matters.
The workshop, with the theme ‘Understanding and Sustaining Collaboration with Civil Society’, was organised by the European Union-funded Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT) programme, implemented by the British Council in Nigeria.
“We need to strengthen their (CSOs) operating space, their liberty and freedom to be able to perform their roles for the benefit of the country,” he said.
“We in the National Assembly are very much aware that there is no way we can have or drive effective development in this country without allowing the civil society organisations to be on their beat, and they become the gadfly that would keep the government constantly on their toes.
“This is the only way the country can get better.
“Aware of this need, the National Assembly under the Leadership of the present Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio will be reopening the Civil Society Organisations Liaison Office in the National Assembly.”
“The office will become a processing centre because the CSOs engage in different aspects of societal life.
“If they have a centre in the NASS, they will be able to help in generating bills and motions that will address very critical issues of the moment in Nigeria.
“We don’t need to be looking for them. Legislators can go to the CSOs liaison office and ask them happenings in the country.
“So, at every time we sit at the chamber, we will be seeing motions that will be addressing critical issues of the moment because they would have a database.
“The centre will be a data bank for legislators to tap into what is happening”.
The chairman said that the NASS had smooth
relationship with the CSOs but needed to work much closer with them to, through legislative activities, give effect to some of their concerns.
“The civil society organisations and groups are the catalyst for social change in the society. They are the people that involve in all aspects of nation building.
“They search for the right policies that can drive development in the country. Aside from that they are also a kind of whistle blowers.
“In trying to hold the government accountable, they expose fraudulent activities in the system,”
Umeh commended the European Union through the British Council for supporting and promoting the relationship between the National Assembly and CSOs.
Umeh said that the workshop would provide direction on how to make use of the activities of CSOs in making progressive laws and various intervention legislations that would help curb the ills in the society.