[The Activism Blog] Chidi Odinkalu mobilises Nigerians against NGO Regulatory Bill

Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Chidi Odinkalu has called on Nigerians to rise and prevent the passage into law of the proposed NGO Regulation Bill at the National Assembly.

In a five minutes, forty-eight seconds video released on YouTube on Thursday, September 21, 2017, the human right activist explain in detail the disadvantage of the bill which he describes as the most dangerous piece of legislation that has come for consideration in the National Assembly since the return to civil rule in 1999.

He said, “the bill covers the activities of every organisation that is not government, it covers the activities of every entity that is not government and it affects churches, mosques, schools, universities, hospitals, Esusu (revolving credit) as well as humanitarian operations wherever they are taking place in any part of the country.”

Spelling out its totalitarian consequences, Prof Odinkalu said the bill requires that every fund collected by NGO’s will be subjected to the federal government before it’s utilisation and no fund will be raised by any NGO without the approval from Abuja as every project must be cleared by the federal government.

He posited that it will affect the smooth operations of churches and mosques that raise funds to support the less privilege among them and will also means the absence of the voice of criticism for government as the survival of every NGO will be at the mercy of the government.

Also, NGO’s will be registered at government discretion for a two years license which will be renewed after expiration.Operating without a licence attracts a punishment of 18month imprisonment or payment of 500,000 Naira fine which he believes will swell up the number of inmates in our prisons as many will be arrested for defaulting the law.

He enjoined all Nigerians to contact their legislators in the state and National Assembly to register their displeasure with the bill and to make themselves available at the Public hearing on the bill to save the country from imminent destruction.

The NGO regulation Bill is sponsored by Hon. Umar Buba Jibril (Deputy Leader, PDP: Kogi).

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