By ERICJAMES OCHIGBO

The Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation (ACT) a European Union Funded Programme, has inaugurated a platform to ensure transparency among Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria.

Speaking at the ceremony in Abuja, Mr. Damilare Babalola, the Programme Officer, European Union-Agents for Citizens Driven Transformation (EU-ACT), said that the platform was created in partnership with Open Society Initiative West Africa and the Open Society Initiative West Africa (OSIWA).

Babalola said that the object was to regulate the activities of the CSOs as well as to enhance their performance.

Also, the Programme Officer, Gender, Racial and Ethnic Justice (West African) Ms Olufunke Baruwa said that the platform would serve as means of sharing information.

She said that it would also help identify the roles of CSOs and areas each CSO was operating and would also serve as a guide for donor agencies willing to donate funds for development.

According to her, it will help us hold ourselves accountable and to support each other to enhance performance.

Baruwa said that the long-term goal was for the platform to become a resource warehouse for the activities of CSOs in the country.

Chief Executive Officer, Food Basket Foundation International FBFI), Dr Funmi Akinyele said that reports showed that CSOs operated under weak and complex regulations in the country.

She said that many CSOs needed to familiarise themselves with the Companies and Allies Matters Act (CAMA) provisions regarding their mode of operations.

According to her, this gap in information has hindered effectiveness by limiting the potential of CSOs.

“To address this gap, the European Union funded Agents for Citizens-Driven Transformation Act Programme, the Open Society Initiative West Africa (ACT) Programme and the Open Society Initiative West Africa (OSIWA) decided to establish a committee.

“This committee is on the Civil Society Regulatory Environment to create the Society Regulatory Platform (CRP) to promote civil society transparency and credibility through improved compliance to extent and self- regulatory frameworks.

“This platform is designed with a compendium of statutory regulations to help provide information to CSOs about laws and serve as national public directory,” she said. (NAN)

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