Cumbersome requirements for registrations, as well as government policies, have plagued the functionalities of Civil Society Organizations in Nigeria.
This was revealed at the weekend by a coalition of CSOs from the South-South region of Nigeria, numbering over 20, when they held a conference on improving the regulatory environment for their operations in the country.
The CSOs lamented that the stringent and long lists of regulations have slowed them down in their functions of keeping governments on their toes and often put them on opposite ends.
The 1-day conference held in Calabar had the theme: ‘Forging Partnerships for Sustainable Operational Environment for the Non-Profit Sector in Nigeria’, and was sponsored by Global Rights and the European Union.
As a result of the stifled environment, the CSOs came under the banner of Community of Practice to synergize and strengthen their efforts at generating shared understanding and collective perspective on appropriate instruments on how to regulate them by the authorities.
Co-chair of Community of Practice and head of We The People, Ken Henshaw was delighted that the conference had arrays of government functionaries in attendance as well as their continual interface, there was hope that the regulations would be streamlined.
He said the relationship between the government and the CSOs had appeared to be at cross purposes, believing that such a portrait would now be changed for the better.
“I’ve very strong impressions that the outcome from today’s event will achieve very reasonable results for further collaboration with the government.
The conference might not altogether lead to 100 percent of our desired aims but it is certain that both sides are clearly willing to engage further.”
Abiodun Baiyewu, Executive Director, Global Rights, in his remarks, appealed to Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State to consider the development and approval of a Policy for harmonising registration requirements to eliminate the multiplicity of registration.
He expressed happiness over the government’s commitment towards the development of the CSO sector since Otu assumed power.
Baiyewu said, “This year’s regional conference is aimed at, amongst other things, drive a cause for the need for the harmonization of the CSO regulatory framework at the subnational levels, particularly with regard to the multiplicity of registration requirements with different MDAS.”
Also speaking, the head of cooperation in the European Union to Nigeria and the ECOWAS, Mr Massimo De Luca said the conversations that started in Abuja, which led to the first, second and third national conferences on improving the regulatory environment for CSO operations in Nigeria have progressed to regional conferences across Nigeria.
He maintained that CSOs are the bridge between the government and the people who ensure that the voices of the marginalized and vulnerable are heard.
However, he said that the effectiveness of CSOs is significantly influenced by an unconducive regulatory environment which severely hinders their operations in
several ways.
He frowned at the constant changing or unclear regulations which make their long-term planning difficult.
He cautioned that an overly regulated environment would lead to increased costs arising from additional resources for legal counsel and compliance measures which would mean utilising funds that would have gone into programmes for human capital development.
