By Orumwense Sarah O.
In line with the Edo State Government’s MEGA agenda of making the State to be the best place to live in and do business by the year 2050, the Commissioner for Youth and Humanitarian Affairs, Hon. Zubairu Dada Abubakar has played host to the Executives of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organisations (CONGOs), Edo State Chapter, led by its President, Mrs. Daisy Abiola Igaga, in Benin City.
Hon. Abubakar remarked that as part of measures to ensure seamless registration, various suggestions from critical stakeholders would be harmonised in order to achieve a centralised registration that will be void of duplication of process for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in the State.
The Commissioner encouraged the numerous NGOs to pay attention to their registration status on time in order to avoid rush, which might not be healthy for the Ministry to dispense with in short period of time, emphasising the Ministry’s readiness to begin enforcement on registration by April, 2024. He urged the Executives of CONGOs to guide its affiliate members to register promptly to avoid sanctions which might come with the enforcements.
Earlier, Mrs. Igaga revealed that CONGOs is the Umbrella body for all Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the State with over two hundred registered NGOs. She added that the purpose of the visit was to discuss the harmonisation of the registration process for NGOs operating in Edo State.
Representative from various NGOs and principals of the Ministry were present at the meeting. Fruitful discussion about streamlining the registration procedures to ensure transparency and efficiency was deliberated, issues of dual registration and harmonisation of civil society organisations were also outlined.
The outcome was the expression of commitment by both parties to work together towards a more efficient and comprehensive registration process and the possibility of establishing a one stop shop for registration.
The Administrative Director of CONGOS, Chief Dr. Bartholomew said a one stop shop for registration would not only save them time and efforts, but would also ensure consistency and high turn up in the registration process by members of the organisation. He appealed to the Ministry to review the registration and renewal fee.
Highpoint of the meeting was the presentation of Policy Document to the Hon. Commissioner by the Executives of CONGOs.
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