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SERAP Calls For Legal Framework For Human Rights
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has advocated the establishment of a legal framework that recognises and respects human rights.
The group also called for the review of the Official Secrets Act, Criminal Code Act and Cybercrime Act free in line with international human rights standards and agreements.
Dr Bunmi Afinowi, a lecturer in the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, said this at the presentation of a report titled: “State of Civic Space in Nigeria.”
Afinowi, presented and launched the report on behalf of SERAP, yesterday in Lagos.
The lecturer equally called for the strengthening of the independence of regulatory bodies such as the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) to ensure impartial regulation and promote self-regulation within the media.
According to her, the recent decision of the Federal High Court on the powers of the NBC was a step in the right direction.
Afinowi also said the government should ensure a diverse representation in the NBC, the NPC, including journalist unions, civil society and academia.
She said: “The judiciary has a role to play in this regard by ensuring that it upholds the rule of law and safeguards fundamental human rights as recognised and enshrined in the constitution.
“Bodies like the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigeria Union of Journalists and relevant civil society groups must ensure prompt and thorough investigations into the attacks on journalists and hold perpetrators accountable.
“There is also a need for professional bodies and civil society groups to encourage coalitions and ensure adequate funding, capacity building and technical support for civil society organisations working on media freedom and human rights issues.
“Federal and state governments should be tolerant of criticisms and perceived critical views expressed by Nigerians,” she said.
The lawyer also said the Nigerian government should prevail on law enforcement agencies to refrain from arbitrary arrests and frivolous charges based on exercise of the right to freedom of expression.
She also urged the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to push for the immediate amendment of the Cybercrimes Act and other repressive legislation to bring the laws in line with the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended).
In a welcome address, Mrs Funmi Falana (SAN) who was represented her husband, Femi Falana (SAN), remarked that democracy was not just about voting but also entailed the right of the people to determine how they want to be governed as provided by the law.
Falana added that the law was provided for the people to express their minds when they were not being governed properly without fear of being detained, harassed or subjected to any restrictions.
She listed all laws and conventions to which Nigeria was a signatory and which recognised freedom of expression and assembly.
According to her: “In spite of these laws and conventions, people are still being harassed while police detain journalists indiscriminately.
“The government also failed to pay damages imposed by the court and some judges are afraid to make declarations on public interest litigations while hiding under locus standi.
“The idea of locus standi is no longer applicable in our laws on public interest matters.”
Mr Simon Shingu, the representative of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, in his keynote address, said the promotion and protection of civic space were regarded as special prerequisite for increasing growth, good governance, rule of law and sustainable development.
He said: “As we gather here today, we are reminded of the fundamentals principles of our democracy which are freedom of association, assembly and expression.
“These rights are not just enshrined in our constitution but are the bedrock of our striving democracy.
“With a vibrant civic space, we can hold our leaders accountable but without a vibrant one, we cannot address the pressing issues facing our nation.
“We cannot also fulfill the aspirations of our people but amidst these challenges, there is hope as we have seen the resilience of Nigerians and the encouragement of various activists.”
Honourble Akin Rotimi Jnr, Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, in his keynote address, said that no amount of introspection on the civil space could be described as too much or too little.
Rotimi said that civil society could be improved in numerous ways and one aspect to address was inclusivity and diversity in broader society.
He noted that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) must ensure that their structures, leadership and key decision making reflected the diversity of the communities they served.
He said: “Organisation advocating for women should ensure that women engage in leadership positions.
“CSOs should also be very intentional about building successors generations of civil society actors that will be able to take it to the higher heights we all desire.
“CSOs must also look for ways to counter threats in order to attain full autonomy and also the worrisome issue of proliferation of organisation that taint the reputation of of actions needs to be checked.
“CSOs should also involve in advocacy campaigns to raise the awareness of their work and the need for freedom to operate.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.