By Joshua Egbodo
Abuja
Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has added his voice to the opposition trailing the proposed bill seeking to establish a regulatory commission for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the country, warning that “the existing suspicion of citizens should not be further aggravated.”
Kukah, who appeared at the two-day public hearing on the bill, organised by the House of Representatives Committee on NGOs, Civil Societies and Donor Agencies yesterday, argued that there were already enough laws in the country, and called on the lawmakers to rather direct attention and energy at “the bureaucracy that is malfunctioning,” to put things right.
Declaring his opposition to the proposed law, Bishop Kukah said: “I stand with the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). We don’t want anything that will muzzle them, because without the CSOs, democracy will be in danger. We have enough laws already; as a priest, if I fall short of the law (by stealing), treat me like a thief, and not as a priest.”
The House committee, led by Hon. Peter Akpatason had in Defence of the bill, however said it was with the objective of establishing the commission for supervision, coordination and monitoring NGOs in Nigeria, with the aim of enabling them to accomplish their various missions in a transparent and accountable manner.
Mr. Clement Nwankwo, of the Policy and Advocacy Centre (PLAC) noted that the bill had “several worrying aspects,” adding that it failed to acknowledge the existing legal regime under which NGOs operate, including constitutional provisions, and part C (Incorporated Trustees) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act.
Also, Mr. Osai Ojigho of the Amnesty International (Nigeria), Dr. Abiola Akinade, of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, of the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education among several other stakeholders opposed the bill.
Declaring the event open earlier, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who was represented by Hon. Ibrahim Babangida, hailed civil societies and non-governmental organisations for the important role in development of democracy, urging the public not to be apprehensive of opinion made in the House during debates on any Bill.
