NGO Bill: Withdraw your bill or lose our support, youths tell MP

THE heat generated by the bill on the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) before the House of Representatives continued on Tuesday as Lokoja youths asked the sponsor of the bill, Hon Buba Jibril, to withdraw the bill or lose the people’s support.

Jubril is representing, Lokoja/Kogi Federal constituency in the House of Representatives.

The Youths who spoke through Executive Director, Youth Emancipation for the Society, Umar Mohammad, said the controversial bill was undemocratic, as it would deny the people the opportunities of using the NGOs to contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of the country.

Umar spoke at an interactive workshop packaged between successful and positive role models and youths who grew out of similarly challenged communities to become successful in life in Lokoja, Kogi State, organised by Trees on Earth Development Foundation, working in Partnership with CLEEN Foundation.

The youths said there was the need Jubril, who is also the deputy majority leader of the house to immediately withdraw the bill, noting that the bill is anti-people, and aimed at strangulating NGOs.

According to him, the sponsor of the bill should focus on bills that were capable of providing jobs, improve the wellbeing of people, instead of promoting bills that are unpopular, anti-people, anti-democratic.

Executive Director, Trees on Earth Development Foundation, Moses Adedeji, said though communities may continue to be inundated with violence and insecurity, the power of influence which a challenged community can wield on young people by role models can change the narratives.

He urged the youths to make the vision and experience of positive role models, urging them to rise above the challenges of what their communities may provide them today.

Adedeji appealed to the youths to support the campaign against radicalisation, indoctrination, drug abuse, cultism, terrorism, thuggery and other related vices, noting that as future leaders, what they need to succeed is vision, resilience and determination.