Abuja-Nigeria, – Sequel to several consultations, dialogues and advocacy meetings convened by civil society organizations and youth groups to evaluate the National Dialogue agenda of the Federal Government, Nigeria civil society groups mentioned hereunder have decided to strategically engage the process by deploying monitors across the six geo-political zones to monitor proceedings in the thirteen locations selected by the Federal Government’s Advisory Committee.
This decision is informed by the need to provide citizens engagement with the committee’s work with a view to ensuring accountability and improving the credibility of the process. The National dialogue consultation process is too serious an activity to be left for members of the committee alone hence our decision to deploy independent youth monitors to observe the conduct of the zonal visitation of the Committee.
The monitors will independently assess the zonal consultative meetings, using a specially designed standard checklist. This will also assist civil society in constructively aggregating the views of Nigerians on the terms of reference of the advisory committee on National Dialogue. In recognition of the role that social media plays in information dissemination and active engagement of young people, the monitors will also provide real time updates on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Google+ using the hashtag #NationalDialogue.
Notwithstanding the painful omission of young people in the Senator Femi Okunrunmu’s Committee, we encourage citizens especially young people, women and other socially excluded groups to participate in the zonal meetings and make informed presentations geared towards reconstructing and redesigning a future for our great country.
Youth CSOs and other stakeholders are currently working out a National Youth Dialogue that will unveil a general youth position on the terms of reference of the Advisory committee.
We are poised to contribute our quota to the conversation about a new Nigeria that will take her rightful place among the comity of nations.
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