Yar’Adua Admonishes Leaders on Human Rights

(Afrique en ligne)--Nigeria’s President Umaru Yar’Adua called on African leaders to work hard towards the promotion and protection of human rights and the eradication of poverty in the continent. The Nigerian leader spoke at the opening of the 44th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) in the capital city of Abuja. He admitted that African leaders were not doing enough to tackle poverty and protect human rights.

However, the President, who was represented by the Minister of State, Energy (Petroleum), Mr. Odein Ajumogobia, scored the Nigerian Government high, describing the country as a leading light in human rights struggles in the continent. ‘Nigeria has always been playing the leading role in the promotion and protection of human rights, peace, stability and democracy across the African continent,’ he said. ‘It would be recalled that at the inception of this administration, we anchored it on the respect for the rule of law because we are focused towards building a country that is fair to all citizens and other persons living in our country, a country where all individuals feel and know that they are valued members of society and that their human dignity is respected,’ he added.

Yar’adua appealed to governments of African nations to support ACHPR because, according to him, the continent can no longer live with the challenges of child trafficking and poverty. ACHPR chair Sanji Monageng said that in spite of some important process in some African Union member states, the overall human rights report is poor. ‘There are conflicts in Somalia, in Eastern DRC, Eastern Chad, Central African Republic and Northern Niger. Gross human rights abuses have also been reported in Darfur, the Horn of Africa and in the Great Lakes Region, with women and children bearing the brunt of these conflicts. ‘We need to harness the lesions of the last six months and apply them to the task of building a culture of human rights observance on the continent, as well as a strong continental human rights monitoring body. We want that organisation to work in tandem with member states, including all segments of the society to serve the collective interests of African people,’ she said.

Monageng added: ‘Economic and social rights are still beyond the reach of the majority of the African people. Millions of people continue to live without access to the basic necessities of a dignified life such as clean water, proper housing, food, education and primary health care. ‘Consequently, the African Commission calls upon states parties to the African Charter to do more, to tackle head-on some of the continent’s pressing human rights problems, so that millions of young men and women are not denied their human rights.’

The Commission comprises of 11 non-permanent members who are charged with the responsibility of enforcing the African Charter.

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