The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has promised to continue to protect human rights of Nigerians as enshrined in the Law that creates it.
This is even as the commission unveiled its Lagos State Office Complex which was constructed with less than N200 million.
Speaking at the Commissioning of NHRC Lagos State Office, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos yesterday, the chairperson, NHRC, Dr. Salamatu Suleiman, while explaining the reason for the reconstruction and rebuilding of its Lagos Office said, it was no longer befitting and structurally fit to meet the challenges and demands of a modern office suitable for the operations of national human rights institutions like NHRC.
Promising that the commission will further improve it’s services as the new office opens, he added that the office creates a conducive working environment for its staff which will further ensure that people get the best services from NHRC.
The need for the inclusivity and diversity in the working environment of the commission, she stated, necessitated a new office structure after 23 years of the acquisition of the Lagos Office building and the other zonal headquarters.
“Amenities like ramps, lifts, mediation rooms and conference rooms have become key components of any structure for conducting business by national human rights institutions like ours,” she said.
Stating that the old defective structure was demolished in 2019 and start of erection of the present modern office complex being commissioned which is situated at Alausa,Ikeja within the administrative hub of the city, she added that, the proximity to other government parastatals and agencies and the accessible to everybody, especially, the poor because all local.buses in Lagos can access Alausa, Ikeja.
As a human rights institution established to receive and listen to complaints on human rights violations, she stressed, it is key that its location is accessible to all, especially, the poor.
Saying the project was fully funded by the federal government with no donor support, she added that, the ownership of its office buildings is one of the recognised indices for Independence of national human rights institutions under the Paris principles for the establishment of National Human Rights Institutions(NHRIs).
Earlier, the executive secretary of the commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, said,.aside the Lagos Office complex, the commission had embarked on construction and completion of eight new offices.
“The Lagos Office being commissioned was the first to be awarded in 2019 while the others were awarded in 2020. It is hoped that by the end of this year,the commission will be completing at least 8 of.the 9 projects while the 9th project will hopefully be completed before the end of 2025. The delivery period has been four to five years, ” he pointed out.
He was optimistic that the commission will record giant strides in entrenching it’s Independence with the provision of; adequate funding, construction of the remaining 22 state offices, resourcing the Human Rights Fund under the Act, Amendment of the Act to reflect the 2023 observations of the sub-committee on Accreditation that reviewed the status of NHRC.
On his part, the Attorney General of the Federation(AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi said, pursuant to UN Resolution 48/134 of 1993 and Paris Principles , Nigeria is fully compliant with international obligation in the establishment of the Commission.
Disclosing that the current administration has not interfered with the Independence of the commission. he said: “It is on record that during the last dissolution of boards of parastatals, the government exempted the governing council of the commission from the general dissolution of Federal Government boards in deference to it’s Independence under the enabling Act and Paris Principles.”
Saying the present administration under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu believes in the promotion and protection of human rights of Nigerians, he added that FG is therefore determined to provide the enabling environment for the Commission to effectively protect the rights of Nigerians.
Listing the other eight offices of the Commission due for commissioning by the end of the year, he said, the offices are in Ekiti State, River State, Imo State, Anambra State, Kebbi State, Adamawa State, Katsina State and Venue State.
He promised that the administration will support the commission in its efforts to own its office nationwide to further entrench its Independence and strengthen its strive to protect the rights of Nigerians.
