ZHUL-QI’DA 7, 1429 A.H.
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4 2008
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FG committed to human rights--Maduekwe
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, yesterday in Abuja reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to promoting human rights issues in the country.
Maduekwe gave the assurance at a two-day human rights consultative forum, organised by the Universal Periodic Review and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“We are committed to human rights issues and our ‘can-do-it-spirit’ is aimed at making us a global player in the human rights field,” Maduekwe said.
He said that the “Citizen Diplomacy Policy’’ of the government was strongly hinged on protecting the rights of Nigerians both at home and abroad.
The minister said that the promotion of human rights was a fundamental part of traditional African culture.
Maduekwe said that the government’s commitment to human right issues prompted its recent diplomatic shuttle to Indonesia , where 18 Nigerians were on the death row for drug-related offences.
He called on civil society organisations to collaborate with the government in efforts to build a strong system of human rights advocacy.
However, Mrs Kehinde Ajoni, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that government should make extra efforts to address the plight of the aged and people with physical disabilities in the country.
“It is obvious that there are nodefinite policies, either at state or national level, which are dedicated to protecting the rights of the aged,” Ajoni said.
Ajoni also called for an improvement in the judicial system on the process of discharging justice, especially to people awaiting trails.
