SAVI urges media, - CSO - legislative synergy

A UNIVERSITY Don and lecturer, department of political science, Enugu state University of Technology
(ESUT), Malachy Ochei has underscored the importance of synergy between the media, civil society and the legislature for people oriented policies,  good governance and accountability.
  Ochei  who was speaking at the Post Election Reflection and Strategy Development meeting organised by State Accountability Voice Initiative (SAVI) for media, civil society organisation and presidents-general, observed that the synergy between the groups would create an effective, efficient, critical and crucial role.
  He noted that the collaboration would help identify political constraints and opportunities of the legislature and develop a strategy for engagement.
  Continuing, he informed that where is an effective cooperation, it would also develop capacity to improve, add or charge policy issues; hold politicians accountable; evaluate and improve their own activities, particularly regarding service and infrastructural provision.  
  Ochei who was former legislative aide to  Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, informed that the role of media and CSOs in the legislative process include; making sure that allocated resources are well-utilised and shared adequately, monitoring of government activities, sponsoring  private bills and scrutinizing executive bills and attending public hearings to defend their private bills and make inputs to executive ones.
  He identified problem of clear identification, level and extent of CSO engagement, lack of experience in legislature procedures, funds and limited capacity in understanding roles of CSOs as challenges to media-CSO-legislative engagement.
  Others he identified as conflict of interests, hoarding of information by legislators or their aids, competition between organisations and hypocrisy on the part of legislature.
  Contributing, the state team leader for SAVI, Greg Anyaegbudike noted that SAVI would encourage anything that promotes good governance.