Here's why Nigerians are up in arms against legislation

Jibril says his bill will ensure that there’s transparency and accountability in the way NGOs are run in Nigeria.

Inside the bill

If it becomes law, Jibril’s piece of legislation will be headed by an Executive Secretary.

It will also have a 17-member governing board which will be appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The board will have a tenure of five years.

Jibril’s bill will ensure that licenses are issued to all NGOs and this licenses will be renewable after two years.

Upon the expiration of a license, you have to seek for a renewal.

Should you go ahead with the operations of your NGO without a renewal, you face 18 months behind bars.

The option to a time in jail for flouting the NGO regulation is a fine of N500,000.

However, should the board choose not to renew the license of the NGO in question, that NGO will cease to exist as an organisation.

What this clause means is that NGOs will exist at the mercy of government, as opposed to the present arrangement where all an NGO needs to do is register with the corporate affairs commission and run its affairs like a private business--with no one looking at the books.

But there’s more hurdle in the way of NGOs should this bill receive the blessings of both houses of parliament and the executive. NGOs will seek for and receive permission from the regulator before they are allowed to execute projects.

Accountability and transparency

According to bill sponsor Jibril, “recent developments have shown that some people registered NGOs, solicited for funds and disappeared. That happened recently in the North-east. Some NGOs are used to fund the activities of terrorists and insurgents.

“The NGO bill, therefore, is primarily to set up a commission to regulate their activities and provide a platform for robust relationships between them and the government for the interests of Nigerians.

“In addition, it is to ensure transparency and accountability in the ways and manners the NGOs collect monies and use them for Nigerians.”

Majority leader in the House of Reps, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, says it’s about time NGOs opened their books for scrutiny because they aren’t above the law.

“NGOs cannot be above the laws of the land. They must be regulated”, says Gbajabiamila. “We have to balance the equities, that is the two potential fears and abuse on both sides and determine which outweighs the other”.

It’s a view corroborated by activist and social commentator, Kayode Ogundamisi who says; “I don't give a ***** about NGO bill but about time those collecting billions under the guise of NGO open their books for public scrutiny”.

Another respondent who simply identified himself as Dr. Niyi says "some Nigerians now operate NGOs as a brazen way of illegally enriching their pockets. They have to be regulated”.

Islamising Nigeria

However, opponents of the NGO bill say it is an ill wind that will blow no one any good. There's even a spin that the bill, which is being put together by a Muslim, is an attempt at Islamising Nigeria.

The National Director, Caritas Nigeria—a coalition of Catholic groups under the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC)--Evaristus Bassey said in a statement sent to Pulse that Jibril’s bill aims to set up a framework through which Christians will be persecuted.

“Presently, the national assembly is perceived as a cesspool of corruption, and such bills that seem to put the house on a face-off with citizens only portray the house as intent on protecting a ‘Lootocracy’ that should not be questioned, hence the intent on muzzling NGOs.

“As the majority leader, Hon. Umar Jibril should have been aware of efforts between the house committee on NGOs and CSOs, including Caritas Nigeria and JDPC.

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“Hon. Jibril’s disruptive effort is highly suspicious, especially against the backdrop of such security threats as the herdsmen attacks which are being seen as part of a sinister agenda of domination.

“Knowing full well that his religion demands him to use his position to promote and protect religion, is this Hon. Umar’s subtle way of promoting and protecting his religion by setting up a framework in which others might be persecuted?”

Senator Shehu Sani who represents Kaduna South in the upper legislative chamber, says he’ll fight the bill from becoming law, for all it’s worth.

Sani says the bill is a dangerous one.

“The increasing cases of human rights abuses and intolerance to divergent views across the country makes it dangerous to endorse or support any bill aimed at regulating the activities of the NGOs,” Sani said.

“I will stand against this bill to protect and preserve our fundamental rights to freedom of expression and of assembly.

“The tendency of the bill when it becomes law [to] be abused by people in the position of power is clear.”

'Authoritarian piece of legislation'

Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Dr Chidi Odinkalu, says the NGO regulation bill is an “authoritarian piece of legislation”.

With this bill, says Odinkalu, “nobody can operate anything without clearance from Abuja. It will affect churches, mosques, schools, universities, hospitals, humanitarian operations, 'Esusu'…everything.

“It covers the activities of everybody and every entity that is not government”.

Odinkalu also regards the bill as “the most dangerous piece of legislation that has come for consideration in the national assembly since the return to civil rule in 1999”.

Bill sponsor, Jibril, says the religious angle being brought into his “well packaged” legislation is a thing of shame.

Jibril also asked those opposed to the bill to save their gunpowder for the public hearing session.

“The way the NGOs are reacting to this wonderful and well-packaged bill, particularly is not only shameful but condemnable.

“The Nigerian parliament is an institution governed by rules and traditions. When a bill is for public hearing, you go there and present your views like other interested Nigerians and invited corporate bodies and government agencies for the standing committee to do justice to the bill. Period.

“Going on cheap propaganda and blackmail and even calling on world bodies including the United Nations to help you withdraw a bill from our national assembly will not help you”, Hon Jibril said.

Majority leader Gbajabiamila also said opponents of the bill should make themselves heard at the public hearing session instead of playing the religious card.

“It’s a shame that people would conjure up what is not in a bill just to justify their position”, says Gbajabiamila. “Nowhere in the bill is there any reference to churches or mosques or old students associations.

“We must not whip up religious sentiments that mean much to Nigerians. Where there are reservations, please send such to my inbox and it will be looked into at the public hearing”.

Committee stage

The NGO regulation bill which has seven chapters and 58 clauses, has gone through first and second readings in the House of Reps.

It now sits before the relevant committee in parliament.

The public hearing for the bill comes up later this month.

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