A non-governmental organisation, Women Too Africa (WTA), has called for the suspension of the proposed Non-governmental Organisations Regulatory (Establishment, etc.) Commission Bill (NGO Bill) over its ambiguous and restrictive provisions.
The bill, which seeks to establish a federal agency responsible for the supervision, coordination, and monitoring of NGOs and CSOs in Nigeria, was sponsored by the late Honourable Umar Buba Jubril in 2016.
The bill has passed the second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives and has been referred to the House Committee on CSOs and Development Partners.
The foundation noted that if the bill is passed in its current form, it would hamper the operations of NGOs and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country, addressing various societal needs.
As part of its community-level advocacy on safeguarding Nigeria’s civic space, Women Too Africa, with support from CIVICUS, convened a community and stakeholder engagement programme at Akintola/Ekotedo Community, Dugbe, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday, November 2.
The programme was in partnership with EcoSciGen, Recycledge, and Music Monday, with the theme, ‘Safeguarding Nigeria’s Civic Space and Digital Rights: Restrictive Provisions of the NGO Bill in Perspective.’
The event was to sensitise the community members on the bill and to brainstorm on a community-level approach to demand its suspension.
At the event, WTA’s Digital Rights Ambassador representing Ibadan North West constituency, Nchetachi Chukwuajah, noted that though some of the provisions of the bill are necessary, others were ambiguous, restrictive, and unnecessary, as there are already other laws and institutions to regulate NGOs.
Chukwuajah said the restrictive provisions of the NGO Bill, such as sections of the bill that involve renewal of registration every two years, automatically terminating or suspending a certificate of registration of an NGO where renewal is not granted, approval of NGO projects and activities, transfer and disposal of NGO assets through the commission, duplication of duties on financial regulation and reporting, among others, will take a toll on communities, who are mostly the beneficiaries of NGO activities.
She said, “NGOs are important in every society because the government cannot solve all the problems or entirely meet the needs of society. That is why we at Women Too Africa are calling for the suspension of the NGO Bill.
“If the bill is passed in its current form, it will restrict the efficient and effective operations of NGOs in Nigeria, and communities will bear a greater brunt of the aftermath. Most interventions by NGOs in local communities require urgent actions, but the section of the bill that mandates NGOs to get approval for projects and activities from the commission would cause a delay in these interventions, a dangerous risk for emergency community needs.
“This is why we are engaging with communities and eliciting their support to demand the suspension of the bill.”
On her part, the Associate Executive Director, EcoSciGen, Shakiroh Adewumi Bamidele, noted that the bill will erode the gains recorded over the years by NGOs in tackling societal challenges.
She also stated that EcoSciGen, being a climate change-focused organisation, is committed to educating communities on adaptation and mitigation strategies to ensure a greener earth.
Bamidele sensitised the gathering on the causes and impacts of climate change on human lives, urging them to desist from activities that contribute to carbon emissions, such as burning refuse, cooking with firewood or charcoal, among others.
The participants appreciated Women Too Africa for hosting the programme in their community and assured of their support to demand the suspension of the NGO Bill.
