The Committee for the Defence Of Human Rights (CDHR), in collaboration with the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) on Thursday, March 28, 2024 organised the Citizens’ Accountability and Rights Forum (CARF) with the theme ‘Law Making in Lagos State: Implications and Effects on Human and Socio-economic Rights of the People’ at Ikeja, Lagos.
The event, chaired by Barrister Femi Falana (SAN) attracted a large crowd, including notable civil rights lawyers and activists representing several groups. Also in attendance was the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, who delivered the keynote address. Obasa was represented by Hon. Stephen Olukayode Ogundipe, Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy.
In his welcome address, Comrade Debo Adeniran, the CDHR President and CACOL Chairman stressed that the event was the second edition of the Citizens Accountability and Rights Forum (CARF) of the groups.
Adeniran stated: “Today’s event is a bold step in CDHR and CACOL’s commitment to contribute to creating a peaceful atmosphere between the people on the demand side of governance in Lagos State and those on the supply side.
“This platform was organised to create an avenue where the implementers and the beneficiaries of various government policies would come together to explain, elucidate and expatiate on areas of concern for the citizenry with a view to harmonising different opinions on policies that are being implemented in the state.
“This event provides a forum for healthy exchanges of ideas so that the areas of friction between the government and the governed would be drastically reduced if not totally eliminated because the people would have sense of belonging and the government would have the opportunity of listening to the people and explaining their positions on diverse policy issues that may crop up at a particular time. This will definitely bring about a harmonious relationship between the government and the governed.
“In today’s event, our focus would be on the law making in Lagos State as it affects the socio-economic lives of the people of the state. It would be highly impossible to discuss this important topic without the aid of the Number One lawmaker in the state in the person of Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
“He would be doing justice to the various angles of the law making process in the state. We are very honoured to have him in our midst despite his very tight schedules.
The idea of focusing on the state government’s policies and activities and gathering people to discuss it, is anchored on our determination to ensure that the common man on the street is not short changed by government policies and encourage an all-embracing, all-inclusive implementation of government’s policies so as to enhance the socio-economic wellbeing of the people of the state.”
Adeniran stressed that it was important to state that CDHR and CACOL’s activities had for long been funded with subscriptions and donations from affiliates, members and patrons.
“It is on this basis that we are soliciting your support for the organisations. We would like to do more in the service of humanity and we are ready to partner with relevant government agencies and fraternal organisations to ensure that we continue to be the voice for the hapless citizens of the country as a whole.’
He said that CDHR and CACOL would remain firmly committed to the cause of making Lagos state and Nigeria a peaceful abode for all.
Barrister Femi Falana (SAN), chairman of the occasion, who is also Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman of CDHR, commended Adeniran for coming up with the idea of the regular public forum as there is need for public officers to give account for their stewardship.
According to him, “It is not only when politicians are contesting the election that they should meet the people.”
Barrister Falana maintained that the Public Complaints Committee of the Lagos House of Assembly should be strengthened.
He noted that the House passed a Human Rights Committee Bill, which was the product of the ENDSARS protest and that the Lagos House of Assembly was the first and only Assembly that passed the bill during the 9th Assembly, but somehow, it was not signed by the governor. He urged the House to represent the Bill and get it signed.
Falana said: “Nigerians are going through bitter experiences. Nigerians are beaten mercilessly on the streets on a daily basis. The committee when established will make life more meaningful to the people.”
He also recalled that the Lagos House of Assembly passed the Anti-Corruption Agency Bill and it was signed into law, but till date the agency has not been established by the government while a lot of money that should go into projects is being looted. He, therefore, urged the House of Assembly to call on the government to set up the anti-corruption agency.
The legal luminary also touched on the recent hunger protests in Lagos and parts of the country. He stated: “Our people are suffering. Lagos and indeed, federal and other state governments should stop the public distribution of palliatives, and should introduce cash transfers.
He said: “Distribution of food items is not the best. Many people do not get the food. Many were killed during stampedes in Lagos, Nasarawa and Bauchi states during public distribution of foods.
The Lagos government as well as the federal and other state governments should stop dehumanising Nigerians by throwing bags of rice to people. The government should tidy up the social register and transfer funds to the vulnerable people.
“The governments lack good crowd control mechanisms and do not provide ambulances when distributing these palliatives. The governments should pay compensation to the families which lost their dear ones during distribution of palliatives; it is our collective responsibility to ensure that justice is done.”
Falana noted that President Bola Tinubu attended the burial of the soldiers recently killed at Okuama in Delta State, during which he announced national honours for them, as well as compensations for their families as well as scholarships for their children.
He stressed: “All Nigerians are equal. Government must be held responsible for the lives of people lost in stampedes. Constitutionally, it is the duty of the government to provide for vulnerable people and the unemployed.
“Provision of social welfare for the people is possible in Nigeria. Lagos is ahead in all areas of development. It should therefore show responsibility in this regard.”
Lastly, Falana also urged the Lagos House of Assembly to initiate the reform of the customary court system in Lagos.
In his keynote address read by Hon. Ogundipe, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, reflected on the implications and effects of lawmaking on human and socio-economic rights. Obasa, quoting former South African President, Nelson Mandela, said that, “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their humanity.”
He also referred to the United Nations Charter, 1945, which states, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” These statements, he said, underscored the importance of human rights as inalienable rights of humankind.
“That is why these rights are stipulated in the Constitutions of all democratic nations of the world and contained in the United Nations Charter. The African Charter on Human People’s Rights, for instance, recognises that socio-economic rights cannot be dissociated from civil rights,” he added.
Obasa the laws enacted by the state government have far-reaching implications on the lives of its people, influencing their human rights, quality of life, and socio-economic well-being.
He stressed that Lagos is the economic nerve-centre of Nigeria, being the home to 10% of the population of Nigeria, making significant contributions to the nation’s economy, contributing 30% to Nigeria’s GDP.
“This remarkable achievement is not by chance, but a product of robust legislation and executive oversight by the Lagos Assembly.,” he added.
He listed the progress, orderliness and protection of rights and welfare of the residents in the state, and maintained that these are as a result of carefully crafted bills that the House is constitutionally established to pass into laws.
Obasa listed some of the laws the State Assembly had passed to promote sustainability of human and socio-economic rights of the residents of the state.
These according to him, included the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law to check incessant traffic congestion and disturbance which affect businesses and health of the citizenry; the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency Law, established under the Transport Sector Reform Law to, among other functions, regulate and decongest traffic on the road; and ameliorate the sufferings being caused by traffic congestion.
This law, he informed, has brought great improvement to the socio-economic development of the state, as it has aided seamless commercial activities within the state, reducing man-hour loss caused by traffic congestion.
He also mentioned the Lagos State Domestic Staff Service Provider (Registration) Law meant to protect and promote human and socio-economic rights of Nigerians working as domestic staff in the state.
Several people present at the event like Barrister Wale Ogunade spoke on the issue of Omonile and land grabbing, landlords and tenancy issues, stressing that the Committee on Landgrabbing had become a toothless bulldog in the state whole the lawmakers continue to take their allowances.
The participants also maintained that Vehicle Inspection Officers in Lagos State must have human face, while politicians, the military, police and other security agencies should stop breaking the one-way law, while the VIOs should stop asking for road worthiness papers when the roads are not worthy.
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