By Amos Tauna
The United Nations has been urged to continue to open its door to mainstream Civil Society Organizations in its global development agenda.
Nigerian government, on its part, is to borrow a leaf from the UN to create space for Civil Society to continue its engagement for sustainable peace, unity and development.
In a communique issued at the launch of CISLAC Global Office in New York, as well as presentation of shadow report on SDG 16, Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), a two members of CISLAC Global Board of Trustees, Francis John and Afia Zakiya, called for the establishment of a clear plan for short, medium, and long term national development plan that includes harmonization with the SDGs, Agenda 2063 and other relevant African development plans.
It stressed the need for Nigeria to strengthen bilateral relationships and access to information that would ensure all stolen and illicit finances in foreign countries are repatriated for sustained development.
“Expedite action on asset recovery by setting up a special integrity trust fund to be monitored by the Civil Society to ensure repatriated funds are duly channeled to sustainable development efforts.
“Strengthen existing policies and laws regulating the revolving door policy to include cooling off periods for public servants’ transition to private sector,” the communique explained.
Participants at the meeting observed that there was the need to continue to build national, regional and global presence and tap into the Nigerian and broader African Diaspora technical expertise for contributions to Nigeria’s stride for governance/legislative excellence and sustainable development that ends poverty, injustice and inequality.
They noted that discontinuation of Civil Society bill at the National Assembly that poses no good intent for the development of citizens robs the country of inclusivity in governance.
“Ensure advocacy efforts are built on strong data integrity principles, are grounded in the voices of the poor, and clarifies linkages between local, national, regional, and global factors that shape socio-economic, political and other aspects of sustainable.
“Strengthen CISLAC’s institutional development through a sound strategic plan and funding that includes a strong African based philanthropic focus,” the participants added.
The participants commended the giant strides of CISLAC and encouraged it to stand tall as a leading Non-Governmental Organization locally and internationally, in its efforts to improve Nigeria’s legislative processes and relations within the civil society space.
They further encouraged CISLAC not to relent in its efforts to represent the local NGOs to mobilize local philanthropic and other appropriate international resources to deeply engage in shadow reporting that would keep citizens informed of national development and SDG progress, as well as engage the grassroots in wider consultations so as to project the voice of the voiceless.
They added that the Nigerian and other African Diaspora expertise would be a powerful role CISLAC can now play to advance sustainable development and resilient communities at home and abroad.
The Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa, lamented that Nigeria was plunged into a critical period where it was threatened by ethnic and socio-cultural turbulence, noting that the civil society has the mandate to advocate for peace, fairness and social justice as this would bring the much needed development.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Tijani Muhammed-Bande, commended CISLAC on giant strides and efforts at strengthening the work it had done, stressing that corruption is the bane of underdevelopment and social unrest in the country.
