INGRA Lauds Kogi Assembly proactiveness on citizens welfare

The Executive Director, Initiative for Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA), Hamza Aliyu, has said that the steps taken so far by the present Kogi State House of Assembly on issues bothering on citizens welfare, has confirmed that the Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Umar Aliyu, is capable and in tune with the yearnings of the Citizens, especially the most vulnerable in the society.

The Non Governmental Organization, also appreciated their democratic predisposition of ensuring that the voices of the people are heard in laws that affect them at all time.

The Executive Director, stated this during the Public Hearing on the Bill for a Law To Provide For The prevention of HIV and Aids based discrimination and protection of the rights and dignity of people living with and affected by HIV and Aids and for other related matters, 2024 held on Thursday 30th may 2024 at the kogi state House of Assembly, Lokoja.

The Bill which is a member bill, was sponsored by Hon. Bin Ebaiya Shehu Tijjani, Member representing Lokoja I State Constituency and supported by the Initiative for Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA).

He appealed to the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo to quickly accent to the Bill to give Persons living with HIV and AIDS in Kogi State a respite from the deluge of discrimination that they have been facing in the State over the years

THE TEXT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE IN FULL

Background:
The Bill which is sponsored by Hon Bin Ebaiya Shehu Tijjani, Member representing Lokoja I State Constituency, is supported by the Initiative for Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA) and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria/International, was first read on the floor of Kogi State House of Assembly on Thursday, March 28th, 2024, and subsequently read for the first time on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024.

The Second Reading of the Bill was done on the 7th May 2024. The Bill objectives are to prevent the acquisition of the dreaded virus, HIV and its disease, AIDS, as well as its spread in cases where the virus had already been acquired, as well as to eliminate discrimination and protect the rights and dignity of those living with or affected by the virus or its disease. PUBLIC HEARING:

The Kogi State House of Assembly joint Committee on Health and Justice/Judicial Matters organized a 1-Day Public Hearing on the Bill to provide stakeholders and citizens the opportunity to make inputs and reviews into the proposed legislation.

In attendance at the Hearing were representatives from HIV and AIDS Patient communities (People Living with HIV and AIDS organizations-NEPWHAN, NYNETHA, AYPIN, ASHWAN), Networks of Organizations working on HIV and AIDS issues (Civil Society Organization on HIV-CISHAN, AONN), Kogi State NGO Networks, Kogi State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KOSACA), Kogi State Ministry of Justice, Kogi State Office of the Public Defender and Citizens Rights, Jamaatul Nasirl Islam (JNI), Kogi State Specialist Hospital, International/National Implementing Partners providing HIV Treatment Services led by the Lead Partner Centre for Integrated Health Projects (CIHP) and AIDS HealthCare Foundation (AHF).

Several Memos were presented by the various stakeholders on issues around the Bill including some oral presentations. The Hon Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly Rt.Hon. Umar Aliyu, who doubles as the Vice Chairman House Committee on Justice and Judicial Matters was present together with The Deputy Speaker Hon Comfort Egwauba.

The Presiding Chairman of the Hearing who chairs the House Committee on Justice and Judicial matters Hon Halidu Usman Adejo, Member representing Idah State Constituency and the Chairman Health Committee Hon Ochidi Usman Shehu, Member representing Dekina/Biraidu State Constituency, facilitated the Hearing.

CONCLUSION:
The Hearing, which is a Constitutional requirement for all proposed legislation, is another confirmation that the present Kogi State House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Umar Aliyu, is capacitated and in tune with the yearnings of the Citizens especially the most vulnerable in the society. We wish to appreciate his democratic predisposition of ensuring that the voices of the people are heard in laws that affect them.

This is what good governance should be about. We also wish to appreciate the Chairmen of the Committees on Health and Justice for their efforts at bring about this engagement.

Again, this would have been impossible without the inputs from stakeholders including the Civil Society, Religious and Traditional institutions in the State. Finally, we wish to appeal to the Executive Governor of Kogi State His Excellency Alhaji Usman Ododo to quickly accent to the Bill to give Persons living with HIV and AIDS in Kogi State a respite from the deluge of discrimination that they have been facing in the State.

Thank you.

Signed
Hamza Aliyu Executive Director INGRA