.Engagement with religious leaders, others ongoing to correct impression – Minister
.”Law exists against same-sex marriages since 2014″
.Journalists get copies document for proper perspective
By Ladi Patrick-Okwoli, Abuja
Sequel to misconception trailing Federal Government’s recent signing of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, OACPS, Agreement, also known as Samoa Agreement, on June 28, the federal government has said that it did not endorse the rights of Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, LGBTQ, people in Nigeria as reported in the media.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris alongside Minister of Budget and Planning, Dr Atiku Bagudu, made the clarification during an emergency press briefing in Abuja, at the weekend.
Idris, who expressed dismay that the misconception was sparked by a report in a national daily newspaper called on media organisations to “fact check” before publishing and equally not to take the administration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to providing a free press environment for granted.
He lamented that the report has sparked off social, religious and cultural tension with the allegations becoming the topics for most sermons in Mosques and Churches.
Idris, noted that law against same-sex marriage already exists since 2914 in Nigeria.
He also said that as part of the federal government’s efforts to put the issue in proper perspective in the wake of the misleading report engagement with Muslim and Christian religious leaders as well as other stakeholders is ongoing.
Besides, the Minister of Budget and Planning assured Nigerians that the administration, “being a rule-based government, will not enter into any international agreement that will be detrimental to the interest of the country and its citizens. In negotiating the Agreement, our officials strictly followed the mandates exchanged in 2018 between the EU and the OACPS for the process”.
He described the Samoa Agreement a vital legal framework for cooperation between the OACPS and the European Union to promote sustainable development, fight climate change and its effects, generate investment opportunities and foster collaboration among OACPS member-states at the international stage.
The minister said that the agreement, generally referred to as the Samoa agreement, was signed at the Organisation of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States, Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium, on June 28.
Details of the agreement indicated that the partnership is between the European Union and its member states on one hand, and members of OACPCS on the other.
Negotiations on the agreement began in 2018 and it was signed on Nov. 15, 2018 by all 27 EU member-states and 47 of the 79 OACPS states.
The African Regional Protocol on the matter consists of two parts – framework for cooperation and areas of cooperation that include sustainable economic growth, environment and human rights protection, among others.
Reacting to the medium’s report on the matter, Bagudu said that there was no iota of truth in it.
He said that there was nowhere in the document where 150 billion dollars was mentioned.
He also said that the agreement made no reference to LGBTQ or the rights of people involved in such activities.
He declared that President Tinubu was a proud Nigerian and would never sign any document that could hurt its laws and constitution.
He said that the agreement was seeking to foster cooperation between EU’s 27 members and OACPC with 79 nations.
“The partnership is about trade agreements, human rights and environmental promotion”.
Nigeria signed after extensive reviews and consultations by the interministerial committee convened by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that of
justice, he pointed out.
Nigeria according to him, had made it clear that any provision that is inconsistent with the laws of Nigeria shall be null and void.
“This is what the government has to say on the issue of same-sex marriage.
“There is an existing law against that since 2014.
“It is necessary to assure Nigerians that Tinubu’s administration, being a rule-based government, will not enter into any international agreement that will be detrimental to the interest of the country and its citizens”.
He pointed out that Nigeria had entered into many other agreements most of which had benefited the country in the areas of water, sanitation, education, agriculture, among others.
The Samoa agreement is focused on economic development, security, environment, migration, mobility and climate change, he added.
Other areas included investment opportunities, sustainable development and mutually beneficial cooperations, among others.
He said that no article supported rights of LGBTQ, declaring that everything signed was in tandem with Nigeria’s laws.
“President Tinubu is non-apologetic about his respects for our diversities and wouldn’t want to do anything that will hurt anyone.
“President Tinubu did not authorise any agreement that can undermine our constitution or laws.
“We did not sign anything that has a clause that challenges our laws.
“We are always conscious of our sovereignty; we respect our two religions”, he declared.
He urged the media to be truthful and patriotic in the handling of reports so as to protect national interest.
Bagudu, reminded the media that development partners are also sensitive to media reports.
“Let us not ridicule ourselves and scare international investors. Nigerians should be allowed to know the truth”, he said.
He said that there were hardworking Nigerians helping the nation to secure foreign investments, support and cooperation.
“We should not undermine their efforts and discourage them from putting in their best for the nation”, he said.
Bagudu, noted that Nigerians have nothing to fear about the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, OACPS Agreement, as there is a clause that allows every member states to maintain a distinct identity in line with cultural, religious, national goals and aspirations among other things.
However, at the end of the emergency press briefing by the two ministers, copies of the agreement were given to journalists for their perusal to enable them report from a well informed perspective.
