The
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday welcomed
public criticism of the content of the controversial NGO regulatory bill.
Mr. Dogara stated this in his welcome remark
after the House reconvened from a two months recess.
“Public criticism of the content of the Bill is
a welcome development and there are many who are doing just that,” he said.
He said it is the reason why every bill is
subjected to public hearing so that the inputs of stakeholders can be obtained
to ensure public buy in.
“I hasten to say that all Nigerians and other
corporate persons including non Nigerians, are stakeholders and have a right to
support or oppose a bill,” he said.
“However when opinions are targeted at
disparaging the institution of the legislature then it becomes imperative to
interrogate the motives driving such, especially when this emanates from those
who should know.”
The speaker said that the principal objective
of the bill is to inject transparency, accountability and prevent the subversion
of national security from both within and without.
“No one can nor indeed should gag the
operations of NGOs in Nigeria, but just as they aspire for this freedom, it
must be stated that freedom does not come without responsibility as there is no
such thing as freedom to be irresponsible,” he said.
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