The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chief Tony Ojukwu (SAN) has sought the support of the Federal Government to strengthen the Commission’s efforts in the promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights in Nigeria.
Ojukwu made the request on Wednesday when he led the Commission’s management team on a courtesy visit to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) at his office in Abuja.
The Deputy Director, Public Relations and External Linkages of the NHRC, Hajiya Fatima Mohammed Agwai said in a statement on Thursday that, during the visit, Ojukwu provided a comprehensive overview of the NHRC’s history, mandate, functions, powers, organizational structure, and management since its inception.
He also discussed the Commission’s growth, the challenges it has faced, and its struggle for independence in recent years.
The NHRC boss, according to the statement, emphasized the Commission’s role in holding the government accountable for policies and laws that promote human rights while mitigating human rights violations in the country.
He stressed the need for the appointment and removal of governing council members to be of paramount importance, with consideration given to the tenures of office of members of the Council, while lamenting that the Commission faces significant financial constraints which can hinder its operational independence if not adequately addressed.
“Lack of transportation for state offices to carry out investigations and inadequate equipment/infrastructure to work with, are few examples,” he said.
The NHRC boss expressed concerns about its 13 departments, 36 state offices, and a staff strength of 900 individuals. He recalled that a high weekly resignation of staff has posed a major challenge to the Commission, leading to a need to recruit more staff to strengthen the state offices.
According to Ojukwu, the Commission’s limited budgetary allocations significantly impact its ability to handle a minimum of 2 million complaints per annum and that, the absence of a funded Human Rights fund by the federal, state, or local governments has been a long-standing concern since 2010.
Despite these challenges, he also highlighted some significant achievements, including the thorough investigation and resolution of 1,640,018 complaints. Notable compensations include, N350 million to the families of eight victims of the APO killings (Okada riders) by the Department of State Services in 2013 and N450 million in compensation paid to victims of the END SARS protests by the Commission.
Responding to these concerns, the AGF assured that the present administration has prioritized the National Human Rights Commission as an institution that could ensure peace, stability and respect for human rights in the country.
The Minister acknowledged the financial hardships confronting the Commission urging for patience while the government addresses their needs, particularly with respect to acquiring vehicles.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then