NGO Bill Not Necessary, Kukah Says
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has described the proposed Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Bill as unnecessary.
The bishop stated this when he joined stakeholders on Wednesday in opposing the bill at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Kukah observed that as much as the bill might appear to have good intentions, it was not needed.
According to him, “The intentions of the bill may be right but we should channel our energy to other things.”
At the hearing, all the attendees, including Bishop Kukah and a former lawmaker, Abdul Oroh, opposed the bill.
The bill seeks to, among others, creates an NGO Regulatory Commission to regulate NGOs and civil society organisations, CSOs.
The NGO bill, sponsored by a lawmaker, has been criticised by many activists and NGOs as government’s way of clamping down on civic groups.
In his submission after the public hearing, the chairman of the committee, Peter Akpatason, assured that he will present the recommendations of the committee to the House without bias.
When earlier asked if there was any attendee in support of the bill, there was none.
Civil society groups and Non-Governmental Organisations also stormed the National Assembly to prevent the passage of the bill.
