The Deputy Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon.
Umar Buba Jibril has alleged that Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) and Civil
Society Organisations (CSOs) have collected funds meant for the Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East and disappear, reports ITRealms.
This, he said, was a core reason for the introduction of the
NGO Regulation Bill before the National Assembly, aside the allegation of
sponsoring or financing terrorism in the country.
Jubril, “...Some people registered NGOs, solicited for funds
and disappeared. That happened recently in the North East,” just as he said, “...Churches,
Mosques, Esusu, Market Women Associations not affected.“
According ot him, religious bodies and organizations are “NOT
NGOs” stressing that quasi financial institutions at local levels are not NGOs.
“These organizations have existed for centuries to serve
businesses and commerce of our market women and traders.
Pointing out that NGOs and CSOs are voluntary organizations
that are registered to partner Government at all levels to fill gaps wherever
they exist, thus partners in progress with the Government; hence the need for a
commission to serve this purpose arises
“Secondly and naturally for them to carry out their
activities, the NGOs and CSOs solicit for funds from all over the world and
collect billions of naira on behalf of Nigerians. Thirdly they recruit
expatriates to help them run their activities in the country with lots of
abuses,” he said.
He also “Some NGOs are used to fund the activities of
terrorist and insurgents.”
Jubril attempted to explain that the NGOs bill 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 moneys and use them for Nigerians.
Jubril maintained that the NGOs bill is not new or peculiar
to Nigeria. It exists in many countries particularly in the ECOWAS sub- region
and all over Africa and other continents. In Europe, Israel passed theirs last
year! Kenya has a similar law since 1990.
“Nigeria is and should not be a banana republic where
anything goes,” he said.
Emphasising that finally, the way the NGOs are reacting to
this wonderful and well packaged bill particularly SERAP is not only shameful,
but condemnable.
The Nigerian parliament is an institution governed by rules
and traditions, he said, noting, that when a bill is for public hearing you go
there and present your views like other interested Nigerians and invited
cooperate bodies and government agencies for the standing committee to do
justice to the bill.
“Going on cheap propaganda and blackmail and even calling on
world bodies including the United Nation to help you withdraw a bill from our
National Assembly will not help you,” he insisted
Uboshe Uboshe/GEE
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