By Ishaya Ibrahim
Hiding under the guise of complying with the requirement of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on money laundering and financing of terrorism, Nigerian lawmakers have renewed the effort to push for a legislation that would give the government the powers to oppress and shutdown any non-governmental organisations it deems as a ‘troublemaker,’ a coalition of NGOs have alleged.
The House of Representatives says it would revisit the controversial NGO bill to regulate Non-Governmental Organisations, according to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.
Speaking during a debate on a motion brought under matters of urgent public importance on funding for security agents, the speaker also said NGOs will be invited for a discussion before the House takes action.
But a coalition of NGOs led by Spaces for Change has kicked saying the renewed effort is a decoy to clampdown on the civic space.
Speaking at a meeting with other NGOs, executive director of Spaces for Change, Victoria Ohaeri, said the NGO bill will only amount to over regulation.
She said the government already has its agencies including the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) regulating the NGOs. She said what the government should do is to demand that these agencies do their regulatory work well and not create new legislation or regulator.
She said the government was twisting the FATF regulation to accomplish a predetermine objective, which is to arm twist those it feels are a pain in their neck.
FATF is an international policy making body against money laundering and financing of terrorism.
It requires governments of countries to carryout assessment of its country’s Non Profit Organisations and identifies their vulnerabilities and risks of being used as vehicles for money laundering and financing of terrorism.
The Nigeria Risk Assessment (NRA) however classified NGOs in the same genre as dealers in jewelry, cars and luxury goods, chattered accountants, audit firms, tax consultants, clearing and settlement companies, hotels, casinos, supermarket and other businesses.
The conclusion from the assessment is that the NGOs are poorly regulated.
Ohaeri said the conclusion is wrong because NGOs are accountable to CAMA, SCUML and their funders. She said introducing another regulator under the guise of national security can only mean a clampdown on the civic space.
