DELIBERATION PROCESS AND POLITICAL CONTEXT
The Deliberation Meeting started at about 10:30am with a self-introduction of all the participants. This was followed by a Welcome address by the BENGONET Chair. He highlighted issues bordering on the post 2015 Development Framework, and charged Civil Society Organizations to stand up to the challenge of building a corrupt free and prosperous Nigeria. While apologizing for the short notice for the deliberation meeting, He charged participants present to make meaningful contributions to produce a framework that will improve the wellbeing of Nigerians in totality.
The Convener of the Post 2015 Development Framework Dr. Tola Winjobi delivered His speech. In his speech, the Convener chronicled the adoption of the millennium declaration, the journey so far and what needs to be done. After the speech was a tea break by all participants.
Resuming from the Tea Break, it was time for Group work. The Participants were split into four groups; 1, 2, 3 and 4 for deliberations of the post 2015 conceptual framework.
CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS
These Deliberations bordered on the Vision, Purpose, Principles and Criteria of the post 2015 Development Framework. The Groups were then involved in group discussions to come up with an agreed Vision, Purpose, Principles and Criteria of the post 2015 Development Framework for each group which was going to be harmonized for the entire Deliberations. Group work was allowed for forty Minutes after which Participants reconvened to plenary for discussion. The presentations of the various groups were thus:
GROUP ONE
Vision: the vision of the group for Nigeria was as follows:
- A Nigeria where her citizens will have easy access to free quality Health care services delivery
- A Nigeria that is free from Bribery and Corruption, Ethnicity, Tribalism, Religious Crises and Respect for Human Lives.
- A Nigeria that is accountable and Responsive to the needs and Yearnings of the Citizens especially the masses.
- A Nigeria where Technical Education is given priority.
- A Nigeria where Girl child is given top priority.
- A Nigeria with 0% rate of unemployment.
Purpose:
The purpose according to the group is to have a stable, solid socio-economic, Political and social resources as a leadership criteria for good governance.
Principles: The principles include:
- Responsiveness – Government should respond to the needs and yearnings of the people especially the Masses.
- Accountability – Government Leaders and those in Governing positions should be accountable to the people.
- Sustainability and Continuity – Policies, projects and programmes should be sustained and continued in order to enhance sustainable development.
Criteria:
- Monitoring and Evaluation: Projects, Programmes and Policies should be monitored and evaluated progressively so as to have sustainable Development.
- Supervision and Feedback Mechanism: the supervision of those carrying out the projects, Programmes and Policies should be also progressively done and Feedbacks given to the People.
- Assessment: Assessment and Feasibility studies should be carried out in order to know what the people need.
- Communication: Two-Way Communication channel should be created between the government and the people for example the just concluded review of Nigeria’s constitution at the various constituencies in the six Geo-political zones.
After the presentation of the Group, it was fundamentally observed that needs assessments be carried out before projects are chosen and executed.
GROUP TWO
Vision:
- A Nigeria where Corruption is totally eradicated, Human Rights in full practice and secured for all citizens and residents of any Nationals.
- A Nigeria where there is freedom of expression and that of the press where information can easily be accessed by all citizens.
- A Nigeria where Equal Right is guaranteed and Development Priotized.
Purpose:
- The Purpose is to ensure that the interest of every citizen and Resident in Nigeria are fully taken care of.
- To ensure that the rights of the people in the selection process of their representatives is safe guarded.
- To ensure consistency in Government policies and Implementation at all levels of Government.
Principles:
- Equality: politically, the party in power seems to favour the party and its members. Fairness to all groups of the society irrespective of political allegiance in wealth distribution.
- Honesty: Truthfulness and Trust-worthiness on the part of both leaders and followers.
- Integrity: Having a strong moral principle that can withstand societal changes.
- Tribalism: the treatment of persons either fairly or badly on the ground of their tribal origin or religious belief.
Criteria:
- Corruption: the eradication of corruption from the country through attitudinal change on the part of every citizen and resident in the country.
- Inclusion: the inclusion of all strata of the society in the decision making process in Nigeria (social media should be employed)
- Human Rights: to ensure the full implementation of the fundamental human rights as stipulated in the United Nation’s Declaration.
Following was a contribution to enhance adequate franchise of citizens since at the moment; franchise is grossly limited in the country.
GROUP THREE
Vision: to see a Nigeria empowered for change, free of poverty and also a Nigeria where human rights are protected and a conducive atmosphere created.
Purpose:
- To ensure a poverty free society (by putting up measures to engage the youths positively)
- To protect the environment for sustainability and posterity.
- To provide Human right Laws in Nigeria and to ensure justice to common people.
Principles:
- Transparency (everything should be open to the society)
- Accountability
- Realism
- Integrity.
Criteria:
- Education
- Women empowerment ( when you empower women you empower a nation)
Contributions taken from other members of the group revolved around successful implementation especially in the areas where nothing has been done.
GROUP FOUR
Vision: Our Vision is to see a Nigeria where human rights are respected and protected, poverty is eradicated and the security of lives and property is ensured.
Purpose:
To ensure that poverty and Injustice is eradicated through collective participation (Inclusiveness) towards achieving economic, Political and social Redemption.
Principles:
Integrity, Accountability, Inclusiveness, Teamwork, Collaboration/ Consultation with stakeholders.
Criteria
- Holistic engagement of all in the fight against poverty and protection/ preservation of the rights for sustainable development.
- Appraisal (to enhance follow up).
- The general observation however was that, participants had no good grasp of the subject matter hence, a shallow buttress of the framework on the whole; performance was graded as “Fair”.
ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Sequel to the group discussions, Participants made the following National asks:
- Government should provide small scale processing factories for Agro-allied produce.
- Government should provide steady power in the country by making PHCN work to facility industrialization in the country.
- Government should involve the youths in all decision making processes.
- Government should encourage those with talents and technical skills.
- Government should educate her officials on the freedom of information Bill and use social Networks to reach out to her citizens.
- Government should encourage Herbal alternative Medicine to reduce pressure on existing orthodox medical facilities.
- Policies should be put in place to protect people living with HIV/AIDS in addition to providing Anti-Retroviral drugs and campaigns against discrimination.
- Government should provide water in the rural areas.
- Government should move development into the rural areas to prevent rural-Urban drift.
- Government should tackle the issue of ethnicity and foster a country-wide development (Federal Character)
- Government should provide good roads.
- Government should guarantee the rights of the people to elect their representatives.
- Government should increase the power of security personnel to surmount the current security challenges.
- Government should act sustainably- the structures on ground should be successive (Continuity).
- Government should enquire and enroll children of school age who are out of school.
- There should be accessible schools and Health facilities especially in the rural areas.
- Government should improve and invest in Technical Education to enhance manpower.
- Government should carry out women empowerment since women are pillars of a country.
- Mental Health should be encouraged establishing Psychiatric Hospitals.
- Government should allot performance indicators to Governors and rulers so that the non performing ones will be removed.
- Our Judicial system should be strengthened for quick dispensation of Justice.
- Corrupt Government officials should be brought to book.
- Government should look at civil society Organizations as partners instead of rivals.
- Environmental Health laws should be strengthened.
- Government should put in place policies and programmes that will help harness Tourism and recreation resources that are available in the rural areas in the North-Central Zone.
- Nigerian Meteorological Society should be adequately and properly funded in carrying out its responsibilities and duties in gathering, processing and providing useful data and information on weather.
- Government should reduce the tax of companies and organizations that give to the poor to encourage more organizations to do so.
WAY FORWARD
Following was a way forward at the national/ Regional Level. Against this, the following were considered as key to the achievement of the goals of the post 2015 Development framework:
- There should be grass root involvement on the post 2015 Development Plan.
- Civil Society Organizations should build synergy to carryout meetings amidst scarcity of resources while encouraging personal sacrifices.
- There should be increased communications and contributions of Civil Society Organizations on the subject matter via the internet.
Highlight of the deliberation was the family meeting of the campaign 2015+. Dr. Winjobi chronicled the ideas behind the post 2015 development plan, when it started in 2010 to where it is now, its composition, operations and interactions with global organizations.
ELECTION OF THE STATE COORDINATORS
It was bestowed on the Civil Society Organizations present to elect/appoint their state Coordinators. Participants were allowed to consult at state levels for the election of their officials. After due consultations, the following were elected as state coordinating organizations with contact persons as:
- Kogi– Participative Initiative for Behavioural Change (PIBCI) Victor Attah 08064963303. Attahlo@yahoo.com
- Benue- Benue Non-Governmental Organizations’ Network (BENGONET) – Barr. Justin Gbagir gbagirjustin@gmail.com 07038473765,08180841620
- Abuja- Women Gender Equality – Adah Catherine Ogbanje Adakate93@yahoo.com; 08068981515. Abuja
- Nasarawa- Center for Citizens’ Rights- Abdullazeez Bako. 08065649693
At the election of the state Coordinators, the deliberation meeting came to an end at about 3: 53 pm.