Africa
By Tennyson Sampson
THE participants at a one-day programme, organized by the Conscience for Human Right and Conflict Resolution, CHRCR, in partnership with the Civil Society Legislative Council, have stated that lack of ethics and integrity among Civil Society Organizations and the Media has created a big vacuum on how the society view and appreciate the services and contributions they render.
In a communique issued at the end of the programme held in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital on Wednesday, they lamented that the just concluded 2023 elections showed clearly that INEC was lacking on ethics and Integrity despite improvements made in the provisions in the 2022 Electoral Act.
The communique also noted that the Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, are not doing enough in the promotion of ethic and integrity in the country and that the absence of ethics and integrity has posed a big challenge in the fight against corruption and accountability in the electoral process.
The participants, who examined “Post 2023 Elections: Ethics and Integrity in the fight against corruption and accountability, urged Civil Society Organisations to promote popular participation in the electoral process so as to increase democratic legitimacy.
They also called for greater accountability in public institutions, communities and social groups and urged Civil Society Organizations to intensify their activities and apply ethics and integrity to encourage participation in core values that promote democratic principles, good governance, electoral integrity and legitimacy as well as respect for freedom of thought and association.
They urged the media to air and produce views, commentaries and information to enhance national ethics and integrity.
According to the communique, the media should be fair, accurate and unbiased in the discharge of their duties.
They also urged the media to create products or programmes that can enhance ethics and integrity in the society.
The participants at the programme, whoincluded members of the Civil Society Organizations, Women Groups, Religious Institutions, Youth Groups, were requested to create a platform that would engage the governorship candidates in an open debate towards the November 11, 2023 Governorship election in Kogi State.
Tags: CHRCR Civil Society Legislative Council Conscience for Human Right and Conflict Resolution
