Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, will tomorrow, Thursday, July 15, 2021, declare open the South-East Zonal Validation Exercise for the Country self-Assessment Report (CSAR) of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Owerri, the state capital.

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had on June 23, 2021 given approval for the conduct of the Second Peer Review of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly the Validation Exercise of the Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR) by the Country Review Mission.

The Validation Exercise of the Country Self-Assessment Report on the ongoing Second Peer Review of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will take place across six geo-political zones of the country, plus the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The Owerri Town Hall Meeting which will take place at the Imo Concorde Hotels will be a gathering of critical stakeholders from the South East, with Imo State as the host.

State actors expected at meeting include members of the Federal and State Executive Council, members of the National/State Assembly, members of the Federal/State Judiciary, officials from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA), officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease and Control (NCDC), and officials of Security Agencies, Paramilitary Organizations, anti-graft agencies, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Budget and National Planning.

Also expected at the Town Hall Meeting are Non-state actors such as members of the Civil Society Organizations or Non-Governmental Organizations and private sectoractors.

The list includes but not limited to members of the Organized Private Sector, Mass Media, Political Parties, Health Originations, Women bodies, Labour/Trade Unions, Professional Associations like those of Doctors and Lawyers (NMA and NBA), Youth/Children’s Organizations and Organizations of the Physically-challenged.

Also expected at the meeting are Senior Citizens’ Organizations, Traditional Rulers, Ethnic/Cultural Associations, Religious /Faith based Organizations and Nigerian Diaspora Groups.

Those expected from the private sector include officials of financial Institutions, ICT, Research Institutes, Chamber of Commerce, Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries and Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), among others.

Senator Uzodimma as the host Governor believes that the meeting is another opportunity for the South-East States to rob minds on their common interest.