‘Together We Build’ by Sidelining imp. Stakeholders

The ‘Colloquium on Road Connectivity’ under the theme ‘Together we Build’ organized by the Government of Nagaland on 10 October at Kohima is worth encouraging.

But when the discussion is going to be about road connectivity as being understood from the name of the meeting, why was the Department of Roads & Bridges not in the list among those invited? With roads and bridges collapsing everywhere in the State, the Department of R&B could have been in the must attendance list. Why only selected department when there are scores of departments that are equally an important part of the government?

How can we build anything together when important stakeholders and public organizations like Nagaland Tribes Council, NPRAAF, Survival Nagaland and churches like the Pentecostals are sidelined?

With the current issue of influx of illegal immigrants, organizations like Survival Nagaland could be an important component of the meeting. With organizations like NTC and NPRAAF fighting against irregularities in the government, the presence of these NGOs could also have been immense.

Even though the invitation has been extended by the CMO, such selective invitation reflects a different intention and creates doubt as to which organization is initiating such meeting behind the screen.

Is the government in collaboration with some NGOs trying to brainwash the selected NGOs that all is well in running the affairs of the government and that all allegations against the government are baseless?

We must all build together comprehensively but not selectively.

Thejawetuo Metha
Kohima;
Chuyatha Kath
Dimapur