Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), has suggested to members of the National Assembly to listen objectively to the reactions of Nigerians as regards the recently signed Companies and Allied Matter Act (CAMA), 2020, in the spirit of democracy.
NIREC reminded the lawmakers that, in law making, nothing is sacrosanct, insisting that citizens with genuine observations about a particular law are allowed to express them even after the law must have followed due legislative process in making (including CAMA 2020).
It advised individuals or groups with genuine complaints about CAMA to approach the court or resort to the legislative process by proposing either an amendment or repeal of the CAMA 2020 to avoid generating unnecessary bad blood and acrimony.
NIREC Co-Chairmen, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Rev. Dr. Samson Supo Ayokunle, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in a statement released in Abuja, on Monday, warned Nigerians, particularly those aggrieved with the CAMA against heating the polity, but be law abiding in expressing their discontent with the CAMA.
The statement which was signed by NIREC Executive Secretary, Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua, encouraged lawmakers to sustain the practice of engagement with stakeholders before passing any law as citizens would be happier with a law that contains their input.
The statement advised individuals and groups to be patient on the issue because it has constitutional and democratic solutions, adding that one of the beauty of democracy is that citizens have their representatives in the legislature.
Meanwhile, NIREC said it’s aware that CAMA is 30 years old before It was amended in 2020, and it’s also aware that laws are amended, reviewed or reformed periodically to address socio-economic changes in the society, hence not surprised that the National Assembly decided to pass the CAMA 2020.
This, it added, was more imperative in view of the need for Nigeria to improve its ranking in ease of doing business and fight against corruption.