The Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD), a civil society organisation is to mainstream a society-driven national dialogue for peace, national unity, security and sustainable development.
Executive Director of the centre, Amb. Sani Bala, stated this, Wednesday, in Abuja.
Bala, who said the centre was desirous of restoring public confidence in the Nigeria state, which concerned Nigerians had argued was heightening the divides in the country.
According to him, the divide is creating widespread demand for dialogue and consensus building on restructuring.
He said SCDDD as a body welcomed like-minded and willing civil society organisations domiciled and active within the different geopolitical zones and the FCT to join in driving the process of meaningful national dialogue.
His words: “This will lay sound basis for the development of the common grounds for durable peace, national unity, security and sustainable development in Nigeria.”
Bala said the first phase of the dialogue was expected to be from the end of January to April.
He said SCDDD and stakeholder CSOs and other groups were expected to commence their deliberations at the zonal level.
“Although our national challenges are varied and wide spread, the zonal level deliberations will focus on these interrelated thematic areas of unity, security, youth engagement and CSO-government partnerships across the country,’’ he said.
According to him, the role of CSOs as grassroots monitoring and humanitarian organisations in promoting and advocating for accountability in governance and pushing for the presence of government in all communities, was increasingly being recognised.
He said the United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS were encouraging communities to do same.
“Hence, there is need for partnership between the CSOs, state and Federal Governments. The centre appeals to stakeholders in the six geopolitical zones and FCT that are supportive of defining the challenges of governance in the country to fully participate in the zonal meetings.
“The zonal meetings will soon be called by their zonal CSOs driving the dialogue,” he said.
