The leadership of the House of Representatives has said that it will revisit the Non-Governmental Organizations, NGO’s bill with a view to streamlining it to meet global best practices.
The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila drop the hint during a debate on a motion brought under matters of urgent public importance on funding for security agents.
According to Mr Gbajabiamila, it has become imperative to revisit the bill due to the activities of NGOs in the North-eastern part of Nigeria.
He, however, said NGOs would be invited for a discussion before the house takes action.
Recall that the leadership of the House on Monday met with security chiefs and were briefed on how some NGOs allegedly aid and abet the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists.
The Nigerian Army last week announced a blacklist of Action Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organisation operating in North-east Nigeria for allegedly ‘aiding and abetting’ Boko Haram terrorists.
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A statement issued by the ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’ Theatre Command in Maiduguri, Borno State, said the army has ‘credible intelligence’ that the NGO supplies food and medication to the outlawed armed group.
The NGO bill seeks to, among others, create an NGO Regulatory Commission to regulate NGO’S and civil society organisations, CSOs.
The bill, introduced by a deceased lawmaker, Buba Jibrin, was criticised by many activists and NGOs as government’s way of clamping down on civic groups.
Scores of protesters at that time marched to the National Assembly asking that the bill be dropped.
