The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on the House of Representatives to do everything possible for the President to accent to the bill seeking to reposition the Commission by establishing a National Human Rights Fund before the expiration of his tenure in office.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu (SAN) said the fund, when established, would enable individuals, corporate organisations and other stakeholders to make contributions towards the promotion and protection of the fundamental rights of the Nigerian citizens.
Ojukwu, who made the call on Wednesday, when the House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights paid an oversight visit to the commission in Abuja said, the National Human Rights Commission Bill (Repeal and Enactment, 2021 seeks to repeal and enact the NHRC Act 2010 (as amended) among other things.
According to the NHRC boss, the law is one of the revolutionary instruments for the operation of the National Human Rights Commission and added also that, human rights funds which the bill seeks to establish are in line with global practices as it relates to human rights institutions worldwide.
“One of the salient provisions of the bill is the aspect that has to do with investigations and conduct of public hearings on human rights issues and abuses.
“The proposed legislation would enable monetary contributions from individuals and stakeholders for the promotion of fights against human rights violations in the country”, Ojukwu stated.
In his response, the chairman of House Committee on Human Rights, Hon John Dyegh said, his committee was on the oversight visit in line with the provisions of Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 constitution and the House of Representatives standing order.
He said the essence of the visit was to access the true state of the Commission and proffer solutions where necessary, from the aggregate of the commission’s submission of funds appropriated and utilized yearly, collaborations, capacity building, staff strength, commission projections, challenges, failures and successes.
Hon Dyegh assured of his committee’s support in ensuring that the National Human Rights Commission gets a better enabling Act through the repealed and enacted Bill passed by the House of Representatives last year and equally passed by the Senate this year.
He promised that the House will introduce a seed in the 2023 budget of the commission for the human rights fund, adding also that, “when the Act is accented to by the President, we will see how individuals can contribute to the funds”.