The Executive Director of the Centre for Responsive Governance, Comrade Ayodeji Ologun, has criticised the proposed legislation seeking to regulate foreign funding received by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations in Nigeria.
Ologun argued that the government already possesses sufficient institutions and mechanisms to monitor financial transactions, trace suspicious funds and investigate organisations suspected of financial misconduct.
He made the remarks while speaking on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, during a discussion on the proposed Foreign Funding Bill and its potential impact on Nigeria’s civic space.
According to him, introducing another law or regulatory body to oversee foreign donations may amount to unnecessary duplication, particularly when existing agencies already have the authority to monitor financial activities.
“The government has the capacity to trace anything that they want to know,” Ologun said.
He maintained that authorities do not need additional legislation before determining how funds enter the country or how organisations utilise money received from foreign sources.
“The government does not need to give a law for the control of funding and donations into the country before they can know who is doing what wrongly with the funds,” he said.
Ologun said organisations found to have misused foreign donations or engaged in financial misconduct could be investigated and prosecuted under existing laws.
He questioned the justification for establishing another agency or regulatory structure when government institutions already saddled with financial monitoring and accountability could perform the task.
According to him, creating new structures could lead to additional appointments, administrative responsibilities and government expenditure without necessarily addressing the concerns behind the proposed legislation.
The civil society advocate also expressed concern that excessive regulation of foreign funding could have unintended consequences for legitimate NGOs that rely on international support to implement programmes in areas such as human rights, good governance, transparency and accountability.
He noted that civil society organisations perform an important function in a democracy by scrutinising government policies, questioning public officials and demanding accountability.
Ologun warned against weakening the civic space on the grounds that some organisations may have questionable funding sources or misuse donations.
He argued that government agencies should identify specific cases of wrongdoing and take appropriate legal action instead of introducing broad regulations that could affect organisations operating within the law.
He also rejected the notion that the activities of NGOs receiving foreign funding should automatically be regarded as threats to national security.
According to him, where an organisation is suspected of violating the law or engaging in activities inimical to national interests, the appropriate authorities already have the powers to investigate its operations and financial transactions.
Ologun stressed that accountability should apply equally to government institutions and civil society organisations, but insisted that any regulatory framework must preserve the independence of legitimate civic groups.
He warned that excessive government control could undermine the ability of civil society organisations to independently challenge public policies and expose wrongdoing, thereby reducing scrutiny and accountability in the democratic system.
The Centre for Responsive Governance director further argued that creating additional government agencies does not necessarily guarantee greater transparency or accountability.
He called instead for the strengthening of existing institutions and the effective utilisation of powers already available to them.
Ologun said the debate over foreign funding should therefore balance the need for financial transparency with the importance of maintaining an independent civil society.
He maintained that legitimate organisations should be able to receive foreign support for lawful activities, while government agencies should focus on tracing suspicious transactions, investigating violations and prosecuting those found culpable.
His comments come amid growing debate over the proposed regulation of foreign assistance and donations to Nigerian NGOs and civil society groups.
Ologun urged policymakers to ensure that any eventual legislation protects financial accountability without creating restrictions capable of shrinking the civic space or preventing legitimate organisations from holding government accountable.
