In furtherance of the resolution of an emergency meeting of the National Economic Council last week, the Ad-Hoc Committee set up to engage with youth, civil society organizations and different strands of leadership across the nation in the wake of the recent #EndSARS protests have swung into action.
At a meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday, the committee decided to embark on a two-pronged engagement process on zonal and state basis.
For the state-based engagements, each of the 36 governors and FCT Minister would meet with the leadership and representatives of the identified groups in their domains.
This would be immediately followed by zonal interactions where the Vice President and members of the committee would feature.
The engagements would not only include youth groups but also traditional, religious and political leaders. Civil society groups would also be involved as well as opinion moulders like the media.
The interactions would feature issues around employment, social safety nets and national unity and security of lives and properties among others.
Tuesday’s meeting attended virtually by all governors representing the six geopolitical zones in the country also formally adopted the following terms of reference: To engage representatives of Youths, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and others, Political, Religious and Traditional leaders on employment and social safety net programmes among other issues; To engage with the Security Agencies and develop ways of delivering more control to State Governors who are the Chief Security Officers of their States; To recommend effective solutions to the rising divisiveness and propose ways of strengthening national unity; To develop a framework for the coordination of action steps to be taken by both the Federal and State Governments in response to the fundamental issues underlying the EndSARs Protests; To co-opt and or invite any individual or Corporate body that may facilitate the work of the Committee; and Report to Council with such recommendations as may be considered appropriate.
The National Economic Council had last week resolved that the deeper reasons behind the ENDSARS protests and its fallout should be addressed by the federal and state governments.
