Ex-NHRC boss slams commission for administering secrecy oath on staff

A former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof.
Chidi Odinkalu, has lambasted the NHRC for asking its staff to sign
an oath of secrecy, Punch reports.

The oath seeks to ensure that information on the activities of
the commission is not unofficially given to a third party or
members of the public.

Odinkalu said in a series of tweets that an agency like the NHRC
which is bound by the Freedom of Information Act ought not be drawn
into such needless controversies.

He said, “Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, a public
body bound by the Freedom of Information Act, has in the past week
ordered all its staff to sign and subscribe to forms of ‘oath of
Secrecy’- very much like a secret cult.”

Odinkalu said contrary to the claims of the leadership of the
NHRC, the standing orders and rules of procedure of the commission
don’t in any way support secrecy oaths.

The activist said the leadership of the commission had only
chosen to deliberately misrepresent the relevant rules guiding the
agency.

“The fact that this idea of administering a secrecy oath on
staff of NHRC misrepresents the standing orders and rules of
procedure which can easily be verified by anyone interested from
the full text of the rules which is downloadable,” he said.

Odinkalu noted that the staff union of the NHRC had asked its
members not to sign the oath of secrecy.

He said the management of the commission ought to avoid such
needless battles.

The former NHRC boss said the management of the commission
seemed to be lacking direction since President Muhammadu Buhari had
failed to appoint and inaugurate members of the governing
council.

Odinkalu added, “In any case, the NHRC is an institution that
should be at the cutting edge of promoting access to information
and transparency in government. Surely, it should be the last
institution to emulate the oathing practice of secret cults and
outlaw societies.

“These developments owe very much to the absence of leadership
in the commission as a result of the failure of President Muhammadu
Buhari to appoint a new governing council for the NHRC. The vacuum
in appointment of a governing council is corrosive and it
shows.”

The activist, who posted copies of the documents administering
the oath, said forcing staff to sign it would be illegal.

In a memo signed by one Ibe Obidigwein on behalf of the
executive secretary of the NHRC and dated July 3, 2019, the
commission asked all staff members to sign the oath and submit
before July 10.

It read in part, “I am directed to send to you a copy of the
commission’s oath of secrecy to you for copies to be made available
to all staff of your department/ unit/state office/ to sign.

“Please note that all signed oaths are to be collated and
returned to HRM (Human Resources Manager) department on or before
July 10, 2019.”

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Traditional Ruler Salutes CSDP over Projects in Ketare
District 

The Kanwa of Katsina and District Head of Ketare, Alhaji Usman
Bello Kankara, has acknowledged the impact of CSDP Micro-projects
to the people of his domain.

Alh. Kankara, made the remark, when he paid a courtesy visit to
the management and staff of CSDP in Katsina.

He said the Micro-projects being executed in Ketare District has
touched several lives, while also enhancing the welfare of
residents of the District.

“The construction of drainages in Ketare town,  the
construction of additional block of classrooms at Community Day
Secondary School Katoge, Gundawa, Pawwa, Tsamiyar Jino and other
water projects have impacted positively on the lives of the
inhabitants of the areas.

“Worthy of mention is the construction of a clinic at Kurkar
Sheka. The project, which worth ten million naira will cater for
patients and pregnant women, when completed,” said the District
Head.

In a remark, Muhammad Dikko Abdul’aziz, Acting General Manager
of the Agency, expressed gratitude to the traditional ruler for the
visit, pledging that CSDP will execute more developmental projects
across Ketare District.

By PRNigeria