Welcome to our roundup of top stories from last week.

We reacted to President Bola Tinubu’s economic committee, update on the Oronsaye report and how security operatives could earn trust through labour protests. We also responded to the cholera situation in South Sudan and questioned Ethiopia’s human rights commitment.

Hardship: Tinubu Needs to Reconstitute ‘CSO-Less’ Economic Committee

President Bola Tinubu set up an economic advisory committee without members of civil society and organised abour which we saw as incomplete. We then called on the president to reconstitute the committee to include members of civil society, organised labour, people living with disabilities and other marginalised groups to ensure the formulation of more responsive and inclusive economic policies. Read more

Constitution Review: Lawmakers, Citizens Must Adopt Pan-Nigeria Approach

The House of Representatives inaugurated a special committee to review the 1999 constitution. We therefore called on the review committee to ensure the review embodies the needs of every Nigerian and that it is in line with reaffirming the country’s commitment to democracy, social justice, and national development. Read more

Oronsaye Report and Bloated Cabinet: Drastic Cost-Cutting Required

President Tinubu ordered the implementation of the Oronsaye report after setting up a bloated team of ministers and aides, which did not inspire confidence. We called on the president to downsize his cabinet, including doing away with the needless waste of resources on frivolous issues, to build citizens’ trust and confidence in Nigeria’s leadership and governance institutions. Read more

NLC Protest: Opportunity for Police, SSS to Earn Public Trust

Security operatives in Nigeria had another opportunity to earn public trust as labour unions embarked on a nationwide protest against the rising cost of living in the country. We urged the police to provide adequate protection for protesters in line with section 83(4) of the Police Establishment Act, which empowers the Minister of Justice to provide security cover for protesters. Read more

Port Harcourt Refinery: Time for Government to Provide Clarity

The last day of February 2024 arrived, and the Nigerian government failed to tell Nigerians when the commercial production of refined products at the Port-Harcourt refinery would begin. We demanded that the Minister of State Petroleum (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, provide clarity on when the refinery would begin crude production. Read more

If Strikes Are Unacceptable, Should Hardship Be Acceptable?

President Tinubu acted undemocratic by describing organised labour’s strikes over the high cost of living in Nigeria as ‘unacceptable’. We urged the president to respect the rights of labour unions, especially as the leader of a democratic nation and as one who promised a democratic government before he was elected. Read more

Customs-Aided Smuggling: Urgent Investigation Needed

Taken aback by the report that drugs such as tramadol and motorcycles used by bandits and terrorists are being smuggled into Nigeria by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), we called on the Ministry of Finance, which is responsible for the supervisory oversight of NCS, and the NCS boss to initiate an independent investigation into the issue. Read more

South Sudan: 5,000 People Need Support to Prevent Cholera

Away from Nigeria, Oxfam reported that more than 300 people share a single water tap, as transit centres hold three times their capacity. We called on Sudanese authorities to respect the rights of their citizens by providing adequate water and sanitation facilities for those seeking safety and shelter from the ongoing conflict in the country. Read more

Ethiopia: Respect Human Rights Commitment

Over to Ethiopia, a report emerged that in Bahir Dar, the regional capital of Amhara, the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) extrajudicially killed civilians and, in certain instances, denied relatives the opportunity to bury their loved ones. We demanded that the government of Ethiopia begin investigations into violations of human rights amidst the ongoing armed conflict in Bahir Dar and the Amhara region. Read more