Obasanjo implores Fed Govt, states, NGOS to help fight hunger
‘How S’east govs can develop the zone’ Groups sue National Assembly over regulatory bill, others
THE former President and Chairman, Nigeria Zero Hunger Forum, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged the Federal Government, states and non-governmental organisations to join hand in the fight against hunger.
Obasanjo said this yesterday when he met with six state governors, including Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun),
NON- GOVERNMENTAL Organisations (NGOS) under the auspices of Human Rights Agenda Network (HRAN) have filed a suit against the National Assembly at the Federal High Court Abuja over alleged threat to their fundamental rights through a proposed regulatory bill.
In the suit, filed by their counsel, Chino Obiagwu, the NGOS want the court to stop the legislature from deliberating on the Samuel Ortom (Benue), Atiku Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi) and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), in Abakaliki for the second quarterly forum of zero hunger programme of the Federal Government to achieve food sufficiency. The former President, who stated that Ebonyi is among the six states of the federation chosen for a start of the zero hunger programme of the Millennium pending bill.
In a 19-paragraph affidavit in support of the proposal, HRAN said they do not need to wait for the piece of legislation to be passed into law before initiating the action, noting that the content was likely to infringe on their rights in contravention of Section 46 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The civil society groups are also seeking a declaration that it was unconstitutional and unlawful for Development Goals (MDGS), noted that one of the aims of zero hunger is to make sure that policies and programmes that will take us to promise land are made.
He further stated that the programme was designed to achieve in the country by 2030 noting that the team while in the state will be looking for agricultural programmes to implement to achieve the desired objec- the defendants to consider, for the purposes of passing into law, a bill containing provisions that contravene the constitution, including the fundamental rights of the plaintiffs.
They averred that the NGO Regulatory Bill sponsored in 2015 by Duro Faseyi as well as the one initiated in 2016 by Umar Buba Jubril and the Civil Society Committee of Nigeria Bill mooted by Douye Diri also in 2016, constitute infringement or threat of infringement on their fun- tive.
Besides, the former President has identified education, economy and social welfare of the people as basic ingredients for development of any society.
He, therefore, asked the South-east governors to continue to work together for its realisation.
Obasanjo said that the zone had enormous potentials that must be explored with the support of all and sundry, stressing however that the governors must damental rights, especially as it relates to freedom of expression, assembly and association as well as non-discrimination as enshrined in Sections 39, 40 and 42 of the constitution.
The NGOS therefore held that the move was unconstitutional, null and void.
They also prayed the court to restrain the defendants from continuing with any or further deliberation, consideration and/or passing into law of the bills in question. take the lead.
The former President, who spoke when he led a delegation of Brenthurst Foundation to the Government House, Enugu, recalled that he had made similar suggestions during the South-east Security and Economic Summit in Enugu last December.
He expressed delight with the commitment of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi towards the socio-economic develop- ment of the South-east.
Ugwuanyi, who lauded Obasanjo for his passion for the development of the region, said that the success story of the foundation informed the South-east’s decision to explore a working relationship with it.
He also thanked him for the recent free medical treatment his foundation (Obasanjo Foundation) offered people with hearing impairment in Enugu State in partnership with the state government.