COMMUNIQUE
OF THE VIRTUAL ANNUAL GENERAL CONFERENCE (AGC) OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS (CDHR) HELD ON SATURDAY 23RD NOVEMBER, 2024 AT
THE RIGHT HOUSE IKEJA LAGOS STATE
Statutory delegates from State Branches across the country (Anambra, Akwa-Ibom, Bauchi, Benue,
Delta, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Rivers and FCT)
constituting the National Council and the National Executives of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), under the leadership of Comrade Debo Adeniran, converged virtually and physically at the right house ikeja lagos state to hold the 2024 Annual General Conference on Saturday 23rd November 2024. Impressive number of delegates, partners, collaborators, associates, friends, and observers from different works of life as well as the media attended the conference (virtually and physically). The theme of the 2024 Annual General Conference was: “CDHR as a membership organisation: principles, ideals and conventions”. Eminent keynotes speaker was the national president Comrade Debo Adeniran. Good will message was taken from Mrs. Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, the first national treasurer of CDHR. Others are Comrades Solomon Sobade, former General Secretary of the Gani Fawehinmi Solidarity Association, Alex Omotehinse…. The delegates’ deliberations on the state of the nation centred on realities of Nigerian state particularly in relation to the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of Nigerians, delegates resolved as follows:
1. The Convention commended the conferment of title of GCFR on Chief MKO Abiola by the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, it demands that the federal government under Ahmed Bola Tinubu to recognise Chief MKO Abiola as a former president of Nigeria and his portrait be hung among the ex-presidents and that June12 be declared MKO Abiola Day instead of Democracy Day;
2. The federal government should always respect and uphold the rights and freedom of Nigerians as it is entrench in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by ensuring that Needs Assessments are carried out in all constituencies before entries are made into the annual Appropriation Bills;
3. Empowering the military and other security agents with better funding, training, protection, modern equipment and intelligent gathering to curb in totality, the security issues in the country especially rising terrorism, banditry, militancy, kidnapping for ransoms, Boko Haram menace and the new insurgent group in the North, Lukarawa;
4. That federal government should review the economic policies that have impoverished Nigerian people, turn them to beggars in their homeland, causing hyper inflation, and poor standards of living, among others. Specifically, CDHR demands that withdrawal of subsidies on petroleum products and energy should be restored and expanded to include subsidies on food, healthcare, education at higher levels and compulsory free education up to senior secondary levels;
5. CDHR demands with immediate effect from the federal government to fix all refineries, build new ones, control prices for private refineries and reduce the price of pump price for all oil marketers and other essential commodities;
6. The federal government should check the excess of the state governors from squandering state resources and projects that have no direct impact on people by ensuring all procurement are done in accordance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act;
7. Put an end to all forms of corruption in all sectors of the economy, including the presidency. The Anticorruption Agencies should be empowered to stop public projects that are found to have been awarded at costs higher than their verifiable worths and prosecute all misapplication of funds, particularly using state resources for personal gain.
8. CDHR demands that the federal government should address the issues raised by Amnesty International on impunity for human rights violations, including those committed by security forces.
9. Curb extra judicial killings of innocent Nigerians by various security apparatus. Trial and appropriate sentence of anyone found wanting.
10. Embark on genuine restructuring of the country to reflect true federalism and equitable economic development of all sections of the country. Sustain the autonomy given to the local government and ensure that all Local Council Development Areas created in several states of the federation that meet Conditions for creating local government councils are fully recognized as Local Government Area Councils;
11. Stop devaluation of naira and embark on policies that will make exchange rate favourable to local and international investors.
E-Signed:
Conrade Debo Adeniran,
National President CDHR Nigeria.
Comrade Idris Afees Olayinka,
National Publicity Secretary CDHR Nigeria
