News
FG set to relax regulatory environment for CSOs, as they appeal for protection against repressive laws
Nasiru Yusuf
The Federal Government says it will loosen the environment in order to make it more effective and attractive for the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to operate.
KANO FOCUS reports that Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission Alhaji Garba Abubakar, revealed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the national conference on CSOs operational environment.
Abubakar represented by his Personal Assistant Mr. Terver Ayua-Jor said “COSs are increasingly becoming more important because of the role they play at global level on issues of environment sustainability and human rights which are currently in the front banner of global dialogue.”
Mr. Terver Ayua-Jor
According to him, a recent study commissioned by Globescan poll of experts indicated that the percentage role expected to be played by Government, Business and NGOs in achieving sustainability is 24, 35 and 30 per cent, respectively.
He said that the study clearly indicated that CSOs were expected to play more active role in achieving environmental sustainability than government.
Abubakar said that in modern times, CSOs were widely understood to be the “third sector” of the economy distinct from government and business.
“The topic ‘unpacking the regulatory framework for CSOs in Nigeria’ presupposes that the environment is currently tightly packed or conscripted and require loosening in order to make it more effective.
“This assumption appears to be an exaggeration or untenable because S 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended provides that ‘every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular.
“The person may form or belong to a political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests”,’’ he said.
Abubakar said that the constitution had already unpacked operational environment for CSOs.
He said that the country also has a very robust CSOs sub sector.
According to him, ”this is just a biased sample and excludes other interests such as health, human rights, environmental, charitable and humanitarian groups.”
He said an attempt to improve the corporate governance framework in CAMA 2020 has been misconceived as attempts to micro-manage civil society organizations.
Abubakar said,” experience has shown that corporate governance was very minimal or sometimes totally lacking in most of the CSOs.
“ This is not in the overall interest of the country.
“Globally, CSOs (NPOS) are expected to be in the forefront in the fight against Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism.
“They are accordingly required to implement Regulations of 8 and 25 of the Financial Taskforce (FATF) on nonprofit organizations and legal arrangements.”
According to him, there was usually a distinction between freedom of association and perceived rights to association under a particular name.
“It is recognized that there is fundamental right to association, there is no right to association under particular name.
“The use of a particular name requires licensing or registration and can be denied by a sovereign state or its agency,’’ he said.
He assured the CSO sector that the commission was willing to partner with all CSO’s, to enable them achieve their objectives.
The deputy ambassador and head, Politics, Press and Information section of the EU, Elexandre Borges Gomes, said they are great fans of the CSOs in Nigeria and will support them to promote good governance and democracy.
Elexandre Borges Gomes
Addressing journalists at a Press Conference to mark the event, the chairman of organising committee who double as Programmes Manager, Global Rights Edosa Oviawe, Programmes, said that Civil Society Organisation have gathered to brainstorm on the appropriate instruments to regulate their operations in Nigeria.
He said that the conference was aimed at generating shared understanding and collective perspectives by stakeholders in this direction.
Oviawe said the conference would also discuss increasing public awareness about the roles of CSOS and the need for an enabling regulatory environment that protects the sector from repressive legislations.
Edosa Oviawe
According to him, ”there is a concern about the low level of awareness of existing regulations among relevant stakeholders, including CSOS, NGOS and regulators.”
He said that in spite of the existence of over a dozen legislations, Nigerian lawmakers for example, still claim, “there is no law that regulates the activities of NGOs.”
Oviawe said that instead of interrogating the effectiveness and relevance of extant regulations, each administration since 2007, was swift to introduce another legislation to regulate .
“The recent was the re-introduction of the NGO bill on the floor of the House of Representatives in July,’’ he said.
“This event was the first of its kind in Nigeria as there has not been any previous attempt to bring various stakeholders to discuss pertinent issues that affect the effectiveness and impact of the civil society sector.
“The conference will also address the enabling conducive regulatory environment for CSO operations in the country,’’ Oviawe said.
He said the conference was supported by the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and West Africa and EU-Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation (ACT) Programme through a collaboration of EU-ACT Programme.
Others, he said, are Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and USAID-Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE), aimed at improving the civil society regulatory environment in Nigeria.
Oviawe said that in spite of the availability of over a dozen legislations and policies that currently guide the activities of the not for-profit sector, at least five unsuccessful attempts had been made within the past decade by different regulatory agencies.
According to him, ”every National Assembly introduces new legislations and policies to further regulate CSO operations without recourse to extant legal provisions.”
He said that instead, ”a misguided perception continued to expand the narrative among these regulatory agencies that CSOs were not adequately regulated.
“There is the need for capacity improvement and enabling regulatory environment require attention to strengthen CSO operations in Nigeria.
“It is, however, expedient to address the concerns around the regulatory framework as several issues embedded therein need to be clarified in order to clear the air of the current state of confusion among stakeholders,’’ Oviawe said.
He said that EU-ACT collaborated with the National Steering Committee on Civil Society Regulatory Environment to host the conference which is designed as a response to address some of these concerns,.
Oviawe said, ”it was necessary to address the concerns around the regulatory framework as several issues embedded therein need to be clarified in order to clear the air on issues.
“It is on this premise that the EU-ACT has collaborated with the National Steering Committee on Civil Society Regulatory Environment to orgainse the conference to address some of these concerns.
“Currently, there is no unified perspective about what should constitute a body of regulations for CSOs and this has resulted in various interpretations by different actors on how the sector should be regulated.
“Unless resolved and properly clarified, this issue of multiple definitions will continue to put both regulatory agencies and civil society actors at loggerheads,’’ he said.
The 3-day National Conference on Civil Society Regulatory Environment in Nigeria brings together various actors from the civil society sector, and government including regulatory agencies and legislators, as well as donors and other stakeholders, to discuss pertinent issues that affect the effectiveness and impact of the civil society sector from the point of view of enabling a conducive regulatory environment for CSO operations in the country.
The broad objective of the conference is to create an opportunity for stakeholders to synergize efforts at improving the CSO regulatory environment.
The Conference is aimed at generating shared understanding and collective perspectives by stakeholders on appropriate instruments of regulation and effective processes to regulate CSOs operation in Nigeria as well as increasing broad public awareness about the roles of CSOs and the need for an enabling regulatory environment to protect the sector from repressive legislation.
This convergence is the first of its kind to provide a neutral platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue and ensure that all relevant opinions from all concerned groups are holistically collected. It is therefore hoped that this conference will result in the development of comprehensive recommendations arising from the resolutions reached and agree on modalities for implementing the recommendations.
The National Conference on Civil Society Operational Environment is supported with funding from the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS and the Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT) Programme which is implemented by the British Council.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has appointed renowned public health expert, Dr. Aminu Garba Magashi, as Co-Chair of the Kano State Anti-Drug Abuse Task Force in a renewed effort to combat substance abuse and related social vices across the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the appointment was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
According to the statement, the appointment underscores the administration’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with civil society organisations, public health professionals and other stakeholders in tackling the growing menace of drug abuse, particularly among young people.
Governor Yusuf also disclosed plans by the state government to establish a mobile court dedicated to the speedy prosecution of drug-related offences and other social crimes.
He said the initiative is aimed at ensuring swift justice, strengthening law enforcement and serving as a deterrent to offenders.
The governor expressed confidence that Dr. Magashi’s extensive experience in public health policy, social protection and community development would enhance the effectiveness of the task force and support the government’s efforts to build a safer, healthier and drug-free Kano.
Dr. Magashi is the President of the Africa Health Budget Network and a respected civil society advocate with decades of experience in healthcare, public policy and community development.
As part of efforts to strengthen the task force, Governor Yusuf also approved the inclusion of a representative of the Kano State Sharia Commission in its membership to ensure that its activities conform with Islamic guidance.
The state government said the latest measures form part of broader efforts to address drug abuse, improve public safety and protect communities from the social and economic consequences of substance abuse.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has called on conventional and social media practitioners to promote factual reporting, patriotism and active citizen participation as part of efforts to deepen democracy and strengthen public trust.
KANO FOCUS reports that the governor made the call on Monday while declaring open the maiden Arewa Media Summit held at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano. The summit was organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Public Enlightenment in collaboration with the Kano State Government.
A statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mustapha Muhammad, quoted Governor Yusuf as saying that the media must remain committed to truth, bridge generational divides, amplify the voices of the people and encourage responsible civic engagement.
He described the theme of the summit, Government, Citizens’ Accord, Accountability, Responsibility and Ethical Media Practice, as timely, noting that it provides an opportunity to strengthen governance, accountability and public confidence through ethical journalism.
According to the governor, responsible journalism and access to credible information are critical to national development and the successful implementation of government policies and reforms.
Governor Yusuf said his administration has continued to support media development by protecting press freedom and creating an enabling environment for journalism to thrive.
He listed the establishment of Northern Nigeria’s first Online Media Chapel, sponsorship of information officers for registration with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), and the registration of journalists with the Nigerian Society of Broadcasters (NSB) among the state’s achievements in advancing professional journalism.
The governor also commended the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, for strengthening information management across the country, and praised the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Public Enlightenment, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, for promoting professionalism and ethical journalism through the summit.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation said the future of Northern Nigeria depends not only on investments in infrastructure and agriculture but also on credible journalism, responsible communication and effective storytelling.
Also speaking, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz said the summit was organised to promote accuracy, fairness and professionalism in reporting government activities while strengthening the relationship between government, citizens and the media.
Delivering the vote of thanks, the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, said Governor Yusuf’s sustained investment in the training and retraining of media practitioners has enhanced journalism practice in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the summit attracted the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, ministers, lawmakers, academics, media professionals and participants from across Northern Nigeria.
News
Kano launches free 48-hour emergency treatment scheme for accident victims, other critical cases
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has introduced a free emergency medical treatment programme that provides eligible patients with lifesaving care for the first 48 hours at designated hospitals across the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the initiative, being implemented through the Kano State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (KN-SEMSAS) under the Ministry of Health, is designed to ensure that victims of medical emergencies receive prompt treatment without financial barriers.
According to information released by the state government, the scheme covers children under the age of five, including newborns with emergency conditions, road traffic accident victims, gunshot injuries, snakebite cases, drowning incidents, fire-related injuries, building collapse victims, communal clash casualties and other weapon-related injuries.
The programme also includes obstetric and neonatal emergency referrals from Kano State’s 18 MAMII local government areas through the SaveMAMA referral system.
Under the initiative, emergency treatment is provided free of charge for the first 48 hours at accredited Emergency Medical Treatment Centres (EMTCs) across the state.
The government advised patients or their relatives to contact the KN-SEMSAS Emergency Call Centre before or immediately upon arrival at an accredited hospital to obtain an authorisation code, while stressing that emergency treatment should not be delayed while the code is being processed.
Residents were urged to use the national toll-free emergency line 112 or the state’s dedicated emergency numbers 09019999920 and 09049999914 to request ambulance services and access the programme.
The accredited hospitals participating in the scheme include Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital (MAWTH), Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Sir Muhammad Sanusi Specialist Hospital, Sheikh Muhammad Jidda General Hospital, Waziri Shehu Gidado General Hospital, MDS Hospital, Zak Clinic, MGK Hospital and Khadijat Memorial Hospital.
The state government said the initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery and improve access to lifesaving medical services for residents.
It called on members of the public to take advantage of the programme and share information about the emergency treatment scheme to enable more residents to benefit from the free services.
Gov. Yusuf appoints Dr. Aminu Magashi co-chair of Kano anti-drug abuse task force
Gov. Yusuf tasks media on truthful reporting, patriotism
Kano launches free 48-hour emergency treatment scheme for accident victims, other critical cases
K-SAFE hails Gov. Yusuf as Kano tops ECOWAS education spending ranking
Abdulaziz unveils project inspection initiative, trains APC social media inflluencers at Arewa media summit
Kano ranks best in ECOWAS on education spending index
Kano recruits over 16,000 teachers, begins 10-year education reform plan
Kano emerges top beneficiary as World Bank rewards states with $27m for reforms
Kano delegation participates in international labour conference in Geneva
