The Gombe State Government has called for closer collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission to address increasing cases of human rights violations and promote peace across the state.
According to The Punch, the Deputy Governor, Manassah Jatau, made the call when the Gombe State Coordinator of the NHRC, Dr Joseph Kwanshe, and members of his management team visited him in his office.
Jatau described the commission as an “indispensable” institution, saying its work was vital to preventing conflicts and promoting peaceful coexistence.
He expressed concern about the rising cases of gender-based violence, the alleged mistreatment of widows by their late husbands’ relatives and the failure of some men to provide adequately for their families.
“Almost 100 per cent of the complaints I receive concerning family issues are from women.”
The deputy governor also identified unresolved grievances as one of the factors contributing to social problems, including drug abuse, which he said had become a major challenge in society.
“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,” the Gombe deputy governor said.
Jatau warned that unresolved complaints against individuals or government could fuel discontent and create security challenges.
“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.
He said the state government had adopted an inclusive approach to security management, based on the Talcott Parsons theory that “everybody is important in the pursuit and attainment of goals.”
According to him, the approach had enabled different sectors of society to participate in tackling security challenges.
Jatau also disclosed that the state had established a Taskforce on Public Health Emergency Management comprising representatives of the health sector, traditional institutions, security agencies, development partners and civil society organisations.
He urged the NHRC to become part of the taskforce, noting that its expertise could support the state’s efforts toward development, peace and stability.
The deputy governor further urged the commission to intensify public awareness campaigns to enable residents to understand its mandate and know where to seek assistance when their rights were violated.
“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.”
Jatau equally called on federal government agencies operating in Gombe to improve their engagement with the state government and residents.
He said about 135 federal institutions operated in the state and urged them to make their mandates and activities better known to the government to facilitate stronger partnerships.
Earlier, Kwanshe said the delegation visited the deputy governor as part of efforts to establish a working relationship with the state government following his recent posting to Gombe.
He commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s administration for its developmental projects and support for federal agencies operating from the federal secretariat.
Kwanshe also praised the state government for promoting peace and harmonious relations among residents.
He explained that the NHRC, established in 2010 and operational from 2014, was mandated to promote and protect human rights.
According to him, effective implementation of the commission’s mandate required cooperation with government and other stakeholders.
Kwanshe said the commission was prepared to work with the state government on security matters by incorporating human rights considerations and providing data that could serve as early warning indicators for potential conflicts.
He disclosed that the commission was researching issues including divorce, vulnerable groups, displaced persons and child abandonment to generate data that could guide government interventions.
Kwanshe also appealed to the state government to include the NHRC 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.
