The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has criticized the National Assembly over the draft NGO Bill presently under consideration. The bill consists of an act for the establishment of a Non-Governmental Organisations Regulatory Commission for the supervision, coordination, and monitoring of non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations and for related matters in Nigeria.
LCCI Director-General Mr Muda Yusuf in a statement has warned and said, “The proposition has far reaching implications for the advocacy roles and responsibilities of private sector bodies in the country. Revealing some of the provisions of the bill, it stated that all NGOs, national, local international, town unions, associations (etc) in Nigeria must register with the Commission and be licensed for a renewable period of two years.”
He further stated, “All NGOs annual work plan and budgets must be approved by the Commission before implementation and that all assets including motor vehicles used to build the capacity of an NGO must be done through the Commission adding that all organisational vehicles must be branded even in crises prone areas.”
Also according to the proposed bill, the minister can direct the Commission to sanction, punish or withdraw the license of any of the NGO once any organisation does anything against government interest.
