25 NGOs, CSOs shun protest after dialogue with Reps Speaker

25 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have cancelled their participation in the protest scheduled for Aug.1-10 after a town hall meeting hosted by Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

Dr Matthew Nabut, Executive Director, Centre for Change and Democracy Studies, said this on behalf of the group in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

He said the meeting, which was held on Wednesday, provided a platform for open dialogue and led to a resolution after productive interactions with Speaker Abass.

“We came here prepared to protest because we felt our voices were not being heard.

“However, after engaging with Speaker Abass and seeing the sincerity in his approach, we believe that dialogue is the way forward.

“We have decided to cancel the planned protest and give the government the opportunity to act on their promises,” Nabut said.

He said the protest was initially scheduled in response to what the NGOs and CSOs perceived as government inaction on critical issues affecting the youth.

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He said that the decision to organise the protest was made after several attempts to engage with policymakers yielded unsatisfactory results.

According to him, the town hall meeting was therefore seen as a last-ditch effort to avert the protest and find common ground.

NAN reports that the town hall meeting, which was convened to address the grievances and demands of various youth-led organisations, saw robust participation from diverse groups across the country.

Abbas, while speaking emphasised the government’s commitment to addressing their concerns and highlighted on-going aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of youths

“This government recognises the critical role that our youth play in shaping the future of our nation. We are dedicated to creating an environment where their voices are heard, and their contributions are valued’’, Abass said.

He said the purpose of this town hall meeting was to ensure that the government understood youths’ concerns and work together towards sustainable solutions.

Responding to the cancellation, the Deputy Spokesperson of House of Reps, Rep. Philip Agbese, commended the speaker’s initiative, describing it as a masterstroke.