It was another celebration galore at the just concluded International Human Rights Day celebration in Nigeria, as the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), used the occasion to reward journalists and diligent members of staff of the Commission, including men of the Nigerian Police Force who have proved their mettle in service to humanity and fatherland.
The award Night / Dinner event was organised in collaboration with MacArthur Foundation, as part of weeklong activities set aside by NHRC in celebration of Human Rights Day 2022, which equally commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
Not a few participants and special guests stormed Abuja at the weekend to witness the grand finale of another scintillating Human Rights Day experience, which all began on December 2nd, and came to a close on Human Rights Day, the 10th of December with awards of excellence to those who truly deserve it.
Briefing participants on the merits and yardsticks deployed to reward those shortlisted for the honours, particularly the awards given to the police personnel, Ifeoma Nwakanma, Director of Human Rights Institute at the NHRC Headquarters, opined that the award is given to the police was born out of a nationwide routine visit to selected police stations, which he said followed the training programme organised for the men of the Nigerian Police on human rights related matters that saw some of the personnel performed to the satisfaction of the organisers, hence the awards.
She says;”Earlier in 2022, the National Hunan Rights Commission carried out routine visits to the selected police station across the six geopolitical zones of the country, and also embarked on training for police personnel on mainstreaming human rights into law enforcement in Nigeria, with support from MacArthur Foundation, as part of a larger project on strengthening the Police Reforms in Nigeria, being implemented by the Commission, the office of the Vice President and some civil society organisations; namely, CLEEN Foundation, Network for Police Reforms in Nigeria (NOPRIN) and Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC).”
“As part of efforts to mainstream human rights into policing and promotes respect for human rights within the Nigeria Police Force, the Commission wishes to honour some police personnel who were identified to have stood out among their colleagues during the above-mentioned activities,” Nwakanma revealed.
She further expatriated on the categories of awards given to the police personnel; she said the first set of officers honoured were identified as most receptive to the human rights training, and considered as advocates for human rights within the police, while the second category he said was found to be very receptive to the Commission’s Visitors during the Police Stations Visitor’s week (PSVW).
In the same vein, on the NHRC Excellent Awards for members of staff of the Commission, Rabi Anwar, Director, of Legal Service and Enforcements explains that the award was a fallout of the Commission’s annual award programme, instituted in 2021 for best performing staff. He said the annual award was to “motivate and a reward for diligence and hard work”.
According to him, the awardees which he said was decided by a call for nomination from various head of departments and units across the 36 States offices of the commission, including the Abuja Metropolitan Office are in two categories, namely: the Junior Staff Award-for Grade levels 07 and below, and Senior Staff Award – for Grade levels 08 to 14.
For the Human Right Correspondents (Media Award), three journalists were awarded under the categories of Long Service Reporter of the Year; Explanatory Reporter of the Year and Human Rights Promotion Reporter of the Year.
The Deputy Director, of Corporate Affairs and Media Relations, Fatimah Agwai, explained the three categories and stated that the Long Service Award was awarded to those who have been “faithful” with the Commission over the years while rising through the ranks.
Others such as Explanatory Reporter of the Year; this she said goes for the Reporter who paid attention to details and reports human rights matters from all angles. She added that the Human Rights Promotion Reporter of the Year goes to a reporter who is passionate about reporting human rights issues irrespective of whether the reporter is invited to cover the event or not.
Meanwhile, the event came to a close following the closing remarks by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Anthony Ojukwu SAN OFR.
RegentAfrica Times
