By Michael Babatunde
The Chairman, Coalition of Ekiti Civil Society Organisation (COECSO), Prof Christopher Oluwadare, has charged government at all levels to improve more on security architecture in every State of the Nation.
The Chairman gave the charge during the first General Coordination Meeting of the Coalition for the year in Ado -Ekiti, the State capital.
In his remark, Professor Oluwadare said the Coalition would not relent on talking about security matters which have become the major challenge of the Country, saying that it wasn’t that the authorities have not been doing their best to tackle the menace, urging them to do more as he noted that people could no longer go to farms again to produce food because of insecurity.
“If government continues to spend money on importation of food, it is not enough because we need to produce, but insecurity does not allow people to go to farm” He lamented.
Condemning in entirety the farmers and herders crisis in Ikole, Oye, Emure, Ilejemeje Local Government Areas of the State, and the recent killing of Traditional Rulers, the Coalition observed that the local securities and Police are not adequately equipped to combat insecurity, urging the state government to provide funds and other logistics for the local securities and also ensure that they are well equipped to complement the efforts of other security agencies.
The Don who appreciated the concerns of the members in charting the way forward regarding the situations in the land, explained that development can only come after solving a social problem if the society is able to manage the crisis.
“I see development for Nigeria if we are able to manage the economic crisis, social crisis, but government has to do this is in relations with civil society”. Said the Chairman.
On his part, Dr. Olofinbiyi Olatunde, an advocate, commended the leadership of the Coalition and their activities saying “we are really working in the State and I am happy about that”. He promised making himself available for COECSO activities whenever he is called upon.
The Coalition appreciated Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led administration which according to them is meeting the needs and yearnings of the good people of the State which was described as a demonstration of good leadership.
COECSO is an umbrella body of over one hundred and forty eight registered Civil Societies/Organizations (Non State Actors) in Ekiti State which has its membership cuts across different professionals and non-professional bodies such as; NGOs, FBOs, CSOs, and Trade Union.
Other members of COECSO include; Association of Orphans and Vulnerable Children Organizations in Nigeria (AONN), Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CISHAN), Media Network, Network of NGOs on Voters Education/Good Governance, Society for Water and Sanitation in Nigeria (NEWSAN), Association of Civil Society for Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), Child Protection Network (CPN), Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL) and Association Against Child, Sexual Gender Based Violent (AACSGBV) and many others.
