President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
By Anietie Akpan
The Committee For The Defence Of Human Rights (CDHR), Akwa Ibom State Branch has called for the conclusion of the endless negotiations between the organized Labour and the Federal Government on the minimum wage imbroglio without further delay.
The Non Governmental, and not-for-profit Organization (NGO), rising from her Branch Coordinating Council (BCC) meeting presided over by the State Chairman, Comrade David Akpan, called on the BCC to deliberate on pressing matters currently affecting the State and the Nation.
The meeting held on Friday 12 July, 2024 in Uyo, the State Capital, was to appraise the activities of the Group on a Unit by Unit Basis and invite qualified members to ensure they contest for various offices in the elections that will be conducted during the Branch General Congress (BGC) in September, 2024, said this.
Thus the CDHR in statement on Monday and signed by its Publicity Secretary, , Akwa Ibom State Branch, Comrade Ernest Udoh-Robert, said, “since the economic woes status of ordinary Nigerians is yet to change for the better, the people are needlessly going through untold hardship, and continued delay will further deepen their pains.
“Government should therefore be reasonable and should sacrifice by cutting down on political office holders entitlements to pay civil and public servants who are just a fraction of the generality of the people”.
The Group therefore called on the Tinubu led administration “to immediately resolve all the bottlenecks around our refineries not working after huge amounts spent on turn around maintenance for them year after year.
“There should be a body set up to ensure prices of goods and services are moderate and not the current banana republic pricing system that has been the lot of consumers”.
The CDHR also commended the Supreme Court Judgement granting financial autonomy to Local Government Councils, describing it as “a welcome development though long overdue”.
This decision, the Rights Group said, has finally laid to rest the debate as to whether or not Local Government Councils are the closest government to the ordinary people at the grassroots and so deserve to enjoy some form of autonomy to address the challenges facing the masses within their jurisdiction.
The Group however, agreed that “the autonomy comes with a huge responsibility on Local Government Councils, just as Councillors now owe their constituents a duty to hold Local Government Chairmen accountable by ensuring prudent management of their resources”.
The CDHR also urged Council Chairmen not to see the additional inflow of public funds to Councils’ coffers as “an opportunity to engage in reckless spending and embark on white elephant projects which can negate the whole essence of the financial autonomy granted them. Council Members and Councillors should note that they are not protected by the immunity clause, therefore, any form of misappropriation of funds by them will be taken up in the appropriate quarters by the CDHR against them in the interest of the people”.
Accordingly, the Group commended the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for paying gratuities of retired civil servants that have been hitherto left unpaid since 2012, and encouraged him to ensure that the payment process is transparent, and without favouritism and what is due given to those who deserve it.
On security, the Group charged the governor to also ensure that “citizens are secured, while also frowning at the rising tide of kidnapping in the state”, urging him to ensure that “this is nibbed in the bud before it becomes an hydra headed demon”.
