Gombe seeks NHRC partnership to tackle rights violations

The Gombe State Deputy Governor, Manassah Jatau, has called for stronger collaboration between the state government and the National Human Rights Commission to address rising cases of human rights violations in the state.

Jatau made the call on Tuesday when he received the Gombe State Coordinator of the NHRC, Dr Joseph Kwanshe, and members of his management team, who paid him a courtesy visit.

The deputy governor described the commission as an “indispensable” institution, stressing that its activities were critical to maintaining peace and preventing conflicts in society. He expressed concern over increasing cases of gender-based violence, alleged humiliation of widows by members of their husbands’ families and the failure of some men to meet their family responsibilities.

Jatau said, “Almost 100 per cent of the complaints I receive concerning family issues are from women.” He also linked some social problems, including drug abuse, to unresolved grievances and alleged violations of people’s rights.

“Your task is enormous because issues of human rights violations are always on the increase. Let me tell you that some people engage in drug abuse because their rights have been violated in one way or the other, and you can see that drug abuse has now become a very big challenge that affects society in general,” he said.

The deputy governor further noted that unresolved grievances against the government or individuals could threaten peace and security. “Many people are not happy either with the government or individuals, and when people are aggrieved, then your commission has a lot to do in curtailing possible outbreaks of law and order,” he added.

Jatau said the state government had adopted an inclusive approach to security management, drawing on the Talcott Parsons theory that “everybody is important in the pursuit and attainment of goals.”

He explained that the approach had encouraged the participation of various sectors of society in addressing security challenges, adding that every individual and institution had a role to play.

The deputy governor also disclosed that the state had a Task Force on Public Health Emergency Management comprising representatives of the health sector, traditional institutions, security agencies, development partners and civil society organisations.

He suggested that the NHRC should be incorporated into the task force, saying its mandate could contribute to the overall development and stability of the state.

Jatau also urged the commission to intensify its publicity and public awareness activities so that residents could understand its mandate and know where to seek help when their rights were violated. He said, “Your organisation’s aims and objectives are laudable, noble and humanistic. Its activities cannot be to anybody or operate in isolation, and I assure you that government is ready to partner with you.”

The deputy governor further called on Federal Government agencies operating in the state to strengthen their engagement with the state government and the public. He said about 135 Federal Government institutions were operating in Gombe and urged them to make their presence and mandates known to the state government to facilitate purposeful partnerships.

Earlier, Kwanshe said he led the delegation to the deputy governor’s office to familiarise himself with the state government following his recent posting to Gombe.

He commended the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for its developmental initiatives and infrastructural support to Federal Government agencies operating from the Federal Secretariat.

Kwanshe also praised the state government’s commitment to peace and harmonious coexistence among residents. He explained that the NHRC, established in 2010, commenced operations in 2014 and was mandated, among other responsibilities, to promote and protect human rights.

According to him, the commission could not effectively discharge its mandate without collaboration with the government and other stakeholders.

He said the commission was ready to partner with the state government on security by mainstreaming human rights considerations and providing data that could serve as early warning indicators for the prevention of conflicts.

Kwanshe disclosed that the commission was conducting research into divorce, vulnerable groups, displaced persons and child abandonment, with the aim of generating data to support appropriate government interventions.

He appealed to the state government to allow the commission to participate in State Security Council meetings.

“We want to mainstream the human rights angle into security and peace-building efforts and provide relevant data that can serve as early warning signs for preventing possible crises before they occur,” he added.