Akwa Ibom CSOs Charged To Police Democracy

Civil Society organizations have been charged to wake up to their constitutional responsibility of advocating for the poor to ensure that democratic dividends get to them.
Guest speaker at the 1st Annual Civil Society Conference organised by the Center for Human Rights & Accountability Network (CHRAN) in Akwa Ibom State, Prof Akpan Hogan Ekpo, the chairman, Foundation for Economic Research and Training, gave the charge while delivering a presentation on the theme of the conference.
The event which took place at Watbridge Hotels & Suites, Uyo, had as theme, “The Civil Society And Good Governance In A Democracy”.
He identified docile citizenry as a factor that has given room for bad governance in Nigeria. Prof. Ekpo who, said the situation remained a problem for ensuring good governance, challenged citizens to demand their political and economic rights from governments.
The renowned professor of Economics and Public Policy, and former vice chancellor of the University of Uyo, decried the rate of inflation, economic downturns, corruption, and infringement on human rights, abuse of rule of law and other socio-economic crises bedevilling the country.
Represented by Prof. Ntiedo Umoren, Prof. Ekpo urged the CSOs to wake up to their duties of advocating for the poor masses and engaging government to provide the basic needs of life to at least 80-85 percent of citizens.
He also harped on good followership, saying that, the CSOs and the followers must synergize, monitor and ensure good governance to avoid uncommon misery under the democracy.
“Citizens must be awake of their responsibility to demand their rights from government- these rights are both economic and political. There is a level of poverty that frustrates citizens and inhibit them from asking for good governance. They become helpless.
“The CSOs must always be the peoples’ watch-dog thus ensuring that government performs its responsibilities to the citizens. These include the right to food, clothing, health, education, and shelter. You can never have good governance when people are poor and hungry,” the guest speaker stressed.
He added, “A visionary and transformative leader must give the people hope in a democracy. It is expected that the present leadership in Nigeria with its renewed hope agenda would ensure good governance.”
The maiden Akwa Ibom State Civil Society Conference held on Friday, November 10, 2023 and attracted members of civil society groups (CSOs), human rights groups, community based organisations (CBOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), professional bodies, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) from the South South zone on a self appraisal and to strategise and plan on how to effectively discharge their core mandate as the watchdogs of democracy rooted in the Constitution.
Chairman of the Conference, Hon. Ime Bassey Okon in his remarks said both the conference and its theme came at a good time when Nigeria was grappling with the challenges of good governance to birth the dividends of democracy.
Okon, who is the member representing Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Abuja said the theme of the Conference directly establishes a nexus between good governance and democracy.
“For good governance to be sustainable in the polity, there is need for democratic accountability which thrives on three political virtues: informational transparency (knowledge about government actors, decisions and access to government information); participatory transparency (ability to participate in political decisions, either through fair representation or direct participation); and accountability transparency (ability to hold government accountable).
“The above transparencies, though lofty, cannot be achieved without the involvement of the mass media, social media inclusive. By exposing corrupt or inept officials, malfunctioning public utilities, badly run public organisations, the processes in decision-making in government, the activities of government etc., the media unveil government before the public for scrutiny.
“I view this gathering of civil society organisations – like minds for the common good of Akwa Ibom State – as a signature conference for civil society organisations to liaise with the media and other stakeholders, including those in positions of governance, to accelerate good governance in Akwa Ibom State”.
He said the conference would help set a development agenda for the new administration in the state.
“Coming early in the life of the new administration in the State, this Conference holds the potentials of setting the template in Akwa Ibom State to enable the Umo Eno administration to hit the ground running and to avoid errors and/or misjudgments of previous administrations in the State,” the Conference Chairman alluded.
The federal lawmaker, commended the organisers for deeming it wise to assemble the array of personalities together to brainstorm on good governance, describing the event as the compass to lead Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria to better days.
Director of the CHRAN, Otuekong Franklyn Isong in his welcome address, described the conference as apt to set agenda for new governments in the country coming at the time the new administrations are yet to fully commence the process of implementing their development blueprints.
“As civil rights groups, we are here to renew our avowed commitment to continue to press forward with profound advocacies that will enhance the living condition of the voiceless, the oppressed and the deprived masses of the Nigerian State in spite of the many challenges that encumbered our advocacies
“The Center intends that this conference shall amongst other things, serve as a yearly training platform for the participants, particularly members of the civil society groups and the human rights community who are always in the frontline of our struggle to ensure good governance, rule of law and accountability in government at all levels,” Otuekong Isong stated.
The CHRAN director, also stated that the Conference would set agenda for the new administration of Governor Umo Bassey Eno in the state as civil society organisations who are major stakeholders in the governance of the State cannot stay aloof from the business of governance of the state and expect good governance from the government.
He recalled that Governor Eno’s unveiling of his economic blueprint for the state christened “ARISE AGENDA”, at Ibom Icon Hotels & Golf Resort, provided ample opportunity for the Center to appraise the blueprint as lofty for the development of Akwa Ibom State and would place the state on global industrial hub.
“The governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, had on the 27th of July, 2023, unveiled his economic blueprint for the State, christened: “ARISE AGENDA”. The Center was invited to be a part of the event at Ibom Icon Hotels & Golf Resort. The Center has appraised the blueprint and wishes to commend the Governor for it well-thought out, which when fully executed, will place the State higher amongst the comity of states as industrial hub.”
He called on Governor Umo Eno to streamline the projects and programmes into a few that can easily be achieved within the tenure of his administration given the availability of funds, starting with projects that are identified as the low hanging fruits.
The Center noted that for there to be good governance in any democratic society, there must be the existence of three critical indicators- accountability, transparency and rule of law.
It commended the past civilian administrations in Akwa Ibom State for their outstanding contributions to the development of the state since the return to democracy on May 29, 1999.
To spur up citizens’ patriotism to service, the center conferred Excellence Awards on some deserving individuals, public and private entities in the state for their contributions to the development of the state and humanity.
Other dignitaries at the well-attended event included amongst others, the paramount ruler of ONNA and Enin Akwa Afaha, Edidem Raymond Timothy Inyang who was the Royal Father of the Day; the paramount rulers of Itu, Edidem Edet Akpan Inyang and Uyo, Edidem Sylvanus Okon; Senator Ekong Sampson, Senator representing Akwa Ibom South senatorial district in the National Assembly represented by Dr. Udeme Nan, Senator Effiong Bob, the political leader of Uyo Senatorial District represented by the GM of Comfort 95.1 FM, Mr. Eddie Ekpenyong; the Ntisong Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio, Ntisong Pius Okon; Mkpisong (Dr.) Aniedi Ndem; the International President of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, Akparawa James Edet; the representative of the Chairperson of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Sunny James; the representative of the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Uyo Branch; the representative of the Chairperson of the Correspondents Chapel of the NUJ, Dr. (Mrs. ) Idongesit Ashimeri; the President of Non-indigenes & Igbo Community in Akwa Ibom, Hon. (Chief) Dr. S. N. Orie. Prof. Des Wilson, a renowned professor of Communications.