CSOs Kick Against Repressive Laws

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have kicked against what they described as repressive laws in Nigeria.

According to the CSOs, laws in Nigeria are making the environment hostile for their activities, adding that the government must rise up against enacting repressive laws that affect their activities in Nigeria.

Speaking in Abuja at the Agent for Citizen-driven Transformation Knowledge Share Fair which had over 200 CSOs in attendance with the theme: “Nigerian CSOs Translating Knowledge to Capacity and Impact”, held at the NAF conference centre in Abuja, the CSOs said they want a conducive environment to operate.

ACT national programme manager Damilare Babalola said if there is understanding between the policy makers and the CSOs, they will do what the government wants them to do.

“We recognize that there is a weak capacity to be able to do the full work effectively. Governments are doing quite a lot and it is also their responsibility to bring about the regulations and laws that do not operate on their own.

“When you are providing regulations to CSOs, how much understanding do you have about that sector?

“There is a need for the federal government and the regulatory agencies to have the understanding, and that is why we are facilitating the relationship between government agencies and CSOs to share in this conversation constructively so that they can understand the mutual agreement.

“We are also asking the government regulatory bodies to come out with more defined regulations. There is not enough awareness and sensitization about their policies.

“We want them to come up with more talk about karma, how it affects your CSOs, and what they expect them to do. We want PenCom to come out and talk more about PenCom laws and how it affects CSOs and what is their response to CSOs,” he said.

On his part, the executive director of Nigeria Non-governmental Organization (NNNGO) Oyebisi B Oluseyi, explained that CSOs are interested in regulations that enable their operations, but added that those that do not shrink civic space are not allowed.

“We should operate freely, express ourselves, freely assemble, and associate,” Oluseyi said while calling on the Civil society organisations to do more engagement so that the government can know what they do.

“It is important that within the work that we do, we should ensure that we continue to strengthen our internal governance, our internal controls, so that we can also continue to inspire public confidence and trust in the work that we do,” he added.