National Conference: Delegates embark on consultation ahead of plenary

National Conference in plenary

The Conference was inaugurated on Monday.

Delegates to the National Conference have embarked on consultations with various stakeholders, to take positions ahead of the resumption of plenary on Monday, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

A cross section of the delegates representing various interest groups said on Thursday in Abuja that their consultations would ensure robust debates.

Yinka Odumakin, spokesperson of Afenifere, a pan- Yoruba interest group, said that it was necessary for members to go back to the various stakeholders to collate their positions.

"Different stakeholders are having different meetings. As we are resuming plenary on Monday, people are trying to find positions so that we can hit the ground running.

"So, people are putting together secretariats, their support staff, their technical teams to back them up with facts and figures," he said.

Abiola Afolabi, Executive Director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, WARDC, said the centre had commenced consultation with stakeholders to include the view of the women when plenary resumed.

"WARDC has embarked on consultation with various stakeholders since the plenary was adjourned to ensure effective representation of the people, particularly the grassroots communities.

"The consultation, we believe, will generate views of Nigerians and help set agenda for the conference," Ms. Afolabi said.

According to her, the centre has commended consultations in all the six geo-political zones, on various thematic areas.

She said that recommendations from the consultations would be compiled and submitted to the leadership of the conference to enhance the outcome of the exercise.

"This conference must be people-oriented and the voices of the ordinary people must be heard if it is to achieve its desired outcome, as a peoples' conference," she said.

Abdullahi Abdulmajeed, President of National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, said that the council had set up research teams to compile documents as they relate to youth.

He said the Nigerian youth delegates were currently engaging the various youth groups to harmonise their positions for the conference.

Mr. Abdulmajeed explained that the consultation was very important to guide the youth about their positions "since this conference is about us, the youth".

"All the youth groups in Nigeria are meeting and harmonising all our divergent positions into a united framework for presentation at the proposed dialogue.

"To achieve this and prepare ourselves for effective participation at the conference, the youth stakeholders will organise a national conference roundtable for Nigerian youth groups across the country.

"At the youth roundtable, the current state of the youth will be extensively analysed, with our aspirations and perception about the Nigerian project and our Nigerian dream will be articulated.

"At the end, a national youth development index will be produced from our findings with the goal of integrating it into the conference agenda," he said.

The 492-member conference, which is expected to submit its report within 90 days, was inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan on March 17.

The conference held its inaugural meeting on March 18, and adjourned till March 24, for resumption of plenary.

(NAN)

National Conference: Delegates embark on consultation ahead of plenary.