NEWS
CAN, Other Stakeholders disagree as Senate moves to Amend CAMA
By John Akubo
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and various nongovernmental organisations on Monday, disagreed with certain provisions of the Bill meant to amend the Company and Allied Matters Act 2020, proposed by the Senate.
They spoke at the public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Trade and Investment; Diaspora and the NGOs.
The Sponsor of the bill, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, said the proposed amendments were meant to strengthen the operations of the NGOs in Nigeria.
However in their presentations at the event, stakeholders including the Christian Association of Nigeria insisted that the amendments being sought to CAMA was repressive and would infringe on the fundamental human rights of the groups’ promoters.
The stakeholders said it was wrong to mandate the NGOs to submit their audit reports twice in a year.
They also rejected the appointment of interim managers to take over the duties of their board of trustees whenever there was crisis.
They insisted that the organisations did not need third parties to solve their issues without the intervention of a third party.
Apart from this, they claimed that the provisions for merger among smaller NGOs would end up in crisis.
The memo submitted to the Senate joint panel by the CAN was signed by its President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle; General Secretary, Joseph Daramola and Director of Legal and Public Affairs, Comfort Chigbue.
The CAN kicked against Section 839 of the bill and declared that it negates the principles of freedom and association, religion, freedom to own a property and freedom of expression as provided for in Sections 38, 39, 40, 43, and 44 of tur 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Part of the memo read, ” CAN is also calling for amendments of sections 842 of the CAMA 2020 which gives power to direct transfer of credit in dormant account to the Corporation Affairs Commission.
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“This undermine the provisions of Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which guarantees the rights to privacy.
The Amnesty International opposed some provisions in Part F of the CAMA 2020, claiming that some of the measures contained were ill- conceived, disproportionate, unnecessary, and discriminatory.
Therefore, Amnesty International however, said it welcomed the proposed deletion of sections 831, 842, 843 and 844 from the CAMA 2020.
Part of its memo presented by Osai Ojigho read, “Notwithstanding these proposed amendments, Part F of CAMA 2020 still contains overly broad powers and vague provisions and provides for an excessive degree of state control and interference in the activities of any association.
“Some of these provisions have not been remedied by the proposed CAMA Bill, 2022, and they still impose impermissible restrictions on human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
“Amnesty International hereby urges the National Assembly to immediately remove the offending provisions highlighted in this memorandum from the legislation in its proposed amendment.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday, January 26, 2025, to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The two-day summit, scheduled for January 27-28, 2025, is aimed at advancing “Mission 300,” a pan-African initiative to provide electricity to 300 million people across the continent by 2030.
Hosted by the Tanzanian government in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank, the summit will bring together African leaders, private sector stakeholders, development partners, and civil society organizations.
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The goal is to develop strategies for accelerating energy access in underserved regions, increasing renewable energy adoption, and mobilizing private sector investment.
According to a statement released on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, the summit will serve as a platform for sharing expertise, knowledge, and resources to address Africa’s energy challenges.
The first day of the summit will feature ministerial-level discussions, during which participating nations, including Nigeria, will present their national energy strategies, or “compacts,” detailing their plans to achieve universal energy access within five years.
On the second day, African Heads of State will sign the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, a unified roadmap for achieving the goals of Mission 300.
President Tinubu is expected to deliver a national statement reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to universal energy access and its leadership role in the continent’s energy sector.
He will also highlight Nigeria’s ongoing clean energy initiatives and integrated energy delivery strategies aimed at fostering sustainable development across Africa.
Accompanying the president will be key government officials, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu, and Special Adviser to the President on Energy Olu Verheijen.
President Tinubu is set to return to Abuja immediately after the summit concludes.
The menace of illegal migration is getting diplomatic attention from the Italian authorities and the Edo State Government.
The Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor, Fred Itua divulged this in a government house statement issued in Benin City on Saturday.
He explained that the Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edesili Anani had expressed the readiness of the Governor, Monday Okpebholo-led administration to tackle the menace of irregular migration among youths in the state.
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It was gathered that Anani made the stance public on Friday in Government House, Benin City, when Dr. Alberto Cilala, a consultant to the European Union and President of Mattei Africa for Humanitarian Aids Initiative in Italy, led a delegation to her office.
Welcoming the delegation, she highlighted the importance of collaboration to address the challenges posed by irregular migration.
The Coordinator expressed her gratitude to the delegation, and emphasized the transformative impact the partnership will bring to Edo State.
In her words, “This initiative will reduce unemployment, create job opportunities, and address human trafficking and irregular migration. It will also enhance education, skills acquisition, agricultural investment, and infrastructural development for our people.”
On his part, Dr. Cilala emphasized that the Mattei Plan would provide valuable skills to Edo State residents, including tailoring, furniture-making, shoemaking, and more.
“The Mattei Plan was launched by the Italian Government with a focus on six key sectors: education and training, health, security, agriculture, and renewable energy. The goal is to promote integrated development and improve living conditions, particularly in rural areas.
“These projects will be fully funded by the Italian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Labour,” he stated.
Former Senior Special Assistant to the Edo State Government on Anti-Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, Solomon Okoduwa, in his remarks, said the Mattei Plan prioritizes practical measures to reduce irregular migration and human trafficking.
“Although nine African countries are involved in this initiative, Edo State is a crucial partner for Italy. This partnership will strengthen bilateral relations under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo,” he said.
Brand Ambassador of the Mattei Plan, Olorogun John Paul, popularly known as Daddy Showkey was at the event and lauded the initiative.
He noted, “This program provides an opportunity for Edo State beneficiaries to gain training in various skills, equipping them for sustainable livelihoods.”
Supporters of the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, on Saturday morning stormed the Speaker’s Lodge located at 47 Joel Ogunnaike Street, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.
The supporters, dressed in pro-Obasa vests and caps, arrived in large numbers at the premises.
According to multiple sources, the group was planning a “heroic welcome” for the former Speaker, who was recently removed from office by a majority of lawmakers in the House.
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Obasa, who was out of the country at the time of his impeachment, was replaced by the former deputy speaker, Mojisola Meranda.
Since her emergence as Speaker, Meranda has presided over two sittings, with Obasa absent from both.
The choice of the Speaker’s Lodge as the location for Obasa’s supposed welcome sparked controversy, as he is no longer officially entitled to the property following his removal.
A resident in the area expressed surprise over the situation, saying, “I didn’t expect that the lodge would be opened for them.”
Armed security personnel, including police officers, were deployed to the area to maintain order and prevent any potential disruption.
As of the time of filing this report, Obasa had yet to arrive at the lodge.
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