NHRC urges FG on protection of citizens’ rights

As Nigeria joins the rest of the international community to commemorate the 2017 World Day of Social Justice, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on Government at all levels to create an enabling environment for the promotion and protection of human rights.

The Commission said the protection of human rights is core to the attainment of Social Justice in any society.

The Acting Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Mrs Oti Ovrawah who made this call in Abuja noted that “Nigeria cannot afford to neglect social justice in her quest for social development and advancement of human rights.”

Ovrawah called on government at all levels to continue to support more policies and programmes aimed at addressing the plight of the unemployed, victims of administrative injustice, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), victims of insurgency, physically challenged persons amongst other human rights and humanitarian issues affecting the citizenry.

She observed that the Federal Government’s intervention in the area of Social Security Protection should be encouraged and sustained to positively impact on the social condition of the less privileged members of the society who constitute a greater percentage of Nigeria’s population.

The Acting Secretary enjoined Nigerians to see the celebration of the Day of Social Justice, which comes up on Monday, as a wake-up call to being responsible citizens in supporting government policies aimed at promoting the security and welfare of citizens.

She further urged the government to continue to prioritize the protection of vulnerable groups in the society, particularly persons with disabilities through legislative, administrative and other measures to facilitate the development of their full potentials.