The Zamfara Coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations (ZASCONS) has decried Governor Bello Matawalle’s ban on NGOs in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued in Gusau on Wednesday by the coalition chairman, Ibrahim Tudu, describing the ban as punitive, diversionary and harmful.

“The said order has threatened all well-meaning and friendly civil society organisations, development partners and donors. It also seeks to threaten the civic space and tarnish the conducive atmosphere between the NGOs and the government of Zamfara state and Nigeria,” said the statement.

On Tuesday, the Zamfara government, in an announcement by the ministry for security and home affairs, accused NGOs of “carrying out illegal activities that contravened the existing laws of government” and that “some of the NGOs have also been found to be engaging in activities fueling insecurity in the state and its neighbourhood.”

But ZASCONS and other organisations insisted the ban was unjustified.

“In view of the above, the coalition has kicked against the said ban by the state government. The coalition, therefore, calls on the state government to withdraw the order as it has portrayed the state in a bad light in the eyes of the international community,” stated the coalition.

It asked the Zamfara government to “check with all the relevant MDAs tasked with the responsibility of registering NGOs to fish out those that have not registered or signed an MOU with the state government.”

The coalition told the government to “refrain from a blanket and damaging statement affecting all NGOs as this can discredit genuine NGOs and their services to the people of the state.”

It added, “As a responsible organisation, the coalition would like to restate its total support to any security arrangement aimed at taming the wave of insecurity bedevilling the state.”

The organisation also urged “all NGOs to comply with security arrangements in place or any other relevant law of the state,” reiterating its call that the Zamfara government “re-double” its “constructive engagements with NGOs” and “should continue to extend support to all local, national and international NGOs that have been rendering developmental and humanitarian services to the people of the state.”

(NAN)