Gbajabiamila: We'll Give Priority to Human Rights Issues

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said the ninth House would give priority to issues relating to human rights.

He stated this when he hosted the management of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) led by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr. Tony Ojukwu, during a courtesy call in his office in Abuja on Wednesday.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, the Speaker said the House would support the Commission in any way possible to enhance its work.

He assured the NHRC that the House would work closely with them to ensure that the rights of Nigerians are protected.

According to him, "We commend you for what you've been doing as a Commission. Your work is unquantifiable. It's important that we have a watchdog on human rights. In the House, we take the issue of human rights very seriously."

 

Gbajabiamila tasked the Commission to work closely with the House Committee on Human Rights and forward a copy of the Kampala Convention on Human Rights to the House for possible domestication.

Responding to the issue of the possible creation of quota for more women in politics, the Speaker agreed with the executive secretary that unless the constitution is amended to address the issue of non-discrimination against anybody, such could not be achieved.

He said the House was interested in the issue of the rights of the elderly as raised by the executive secretary, stressing that the House would need a full brief on that.

Earlier, Ojukwu expressed concern that the Kampala Convention on Human Rights has not been domesticated in Nigeria.

He said if the House domesticates it, it would go a long way in addressing some of the challenges Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable Nigerians face.

He said: "We are also bothered by the low level of women participation in elective offices. We've observed a decrease in the number of women coming to the National Assembly, and we wonder why this happens."

Meanwhile, the Speaker has tasked the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to ensure the registration of all SIM cards in the country.

Gbajabiamila said unregistered SIM cards have high security risks, which should be taken seriously by the Commission.

He stated this during a courtesy call by the management of the Commission in his office yesterday in Abuja.

Gbajabiamila said the House was ready to support NCC through adequate funding for effectiveness and efficiency.