The 2024 Southeast Regional Conference on Improving Regulatory Environment for CSO Operations in Nigeria has emphasized the need for a more permissive environment for Civil Society Organizations to effectively play their roles in deepening democracy and entrenching responsive governance in the Southeast region.
The conference, put together by Global Rights in collaboration with the Community of Practice on Civic Space Strengthening, attracted members of CSOs, key state government officials, and other stakeholders from the five states of the Southeast region.
With the theme “Building Strategic Partnerships for a Sustainable Operational Environment for the Non-Profit Sector in Nigeria,” the conference aims to address issues surrounding certain frameworks that stifle CSOs’ operations.
In a welcome remark, the Programme Manager of Global Rights, Edosa Oviawe, regretted that despite the enormous work the CSOs do in facilitating social change through social accountability, community empowerment, and good governance, the government and the regulators still see them as adversaries.
He debunked the perception that CSOs do not want to be regulated, explaining that they are saying that the frameworks should be designed to allow solutions to be co-created.
“The CSOs are asking to co-create these policies because you can’t shave a man’s head in his absence.
“We are having a multiplicity of regulatory frameworks across the states. We have a situation where an NGO that has obtained a CAC registration is asked by various State Ministries to come and register with them and pay dues. declare returns and renew of certificates, among other cumbersome processes.
“All of these are cumbersome and stifling the work the NGOs are doing. If you have to spend all these energies to ensure compliance, what then do we deploy to the original work?” he queried.
Oviawe observed that the conference was designed to yield a common understanding of how regulatory frameworks can be harmonized at the state level and to develop a policy that can help CSOs operate seamlessly.
He said; “The various State Governments can also have a database of CSOs working in diverse areas and provide the necessary support whenever such is needed, as the overall work of these CSOs is for the good of the people, who the government actually, exists for.”
For his part, the Steering Committee Member of the Community of Practice on Civic Space Strengthening, Dr Kenechukwu Okezie, noted that the operational environment across the states in the Southeast is one of challenges, risks, and opportunities, especially for actors in human rights, anti-corruption, democracy, and good governance.
He expressed concerns that the regulatory frameworks for CSOs in the Southeast have posed challenges, including compliance burdens, restrictive laws, and a lack of clarity on how to navigate the regulatory landscape effectively.
Okezie called on the Southeast state governments to revisit their stand with CSOs in the region and initiate actions to break down barriers and promote inclusivity, partnership, and sustainable development.
In a presentation, the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Somto Udeze, who spoke through the House Committee Chairman on Education, Hon Anayo Okpalaeke, noted that the success of CSOs in driving sustainable development and social change depends largely on the policy and legislative environment in which they operate.
He harped on the need for subnational legislatures to support CSOs’ operational effectiveness by enacting laws that promote accountability, facilitate partnerships, ensure safety, and foster inclusion.
In separate goodwill messages, the Executive Director of the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy, and Development (FENRAD) and a representative of Persons with Disabilities in Enugu State, Onyebuchi Mbah, commended the conference initiative, which they said will improve the CSO operational environment at the subnational level in Nigeria.
