Human Rights and Empowerment Project Gets New Resource Centre in Awka

By Izunna Okafor

In furtherance of its mission of protecting and promoting human rights of citizens, the Awka Resource Centre of the Human Rights and Empowerment Project (HREP) has been opened in Awka, the Anambra state capital.

Prior to the opening of the Resource Centre, HREP, which is a non-governmental organisation registered in 20211, has its headquarters in Lagos, from where it has been serving its purpose to humanity and the society at large. However, its arrival in Awka will go a long way to bring its services closer to the people.

Cutting the tape at the opening ceremony of the Centre, located at Amikwo Awka, Ọzọ Joseph Nwobum of Awka kingdom described the establishment as a welcome development, owing to the fact that it will not only help to make the NGO near and easily accessible to people, but will also enhance and facilitate its operation and services in general.

He commended the Executive Director of HREP, Barr. Chigozie Francis Moneke for allowing God to use him in such capacity, even as he urged him to sustain the good work.

Earlier in his homily during a Holy Mass celebrated to mark the event, Rev. Fr. Cyril Ezeani of Awka Catholic Diocese, while noting that the presence of the Centre in Awka will help to make people know more about the NGO and benefit immensely from its services, further highlighted the various ways the Centre can benefit the masses, even as he described the initiative as a great sacrifice what worth emulation.

He said: “It wasn’t quite easy to raise a structure like this, or to have this kind of dream and realize it. When you move out of your way to see that those who are marginalized get justice, it’s indeed a great sacrifice; and that depicts what going on here today.”

In an interview with newsmen, the Executive Director of HREP, Barr. Chigozie Francis Moneke, who doubles as the Principal Solicitor, Gozie Moneke and Associates, explained that the Centre provides strategic human rights intervention, both in Anambra, in the south-east and in Nigeria at large.

While expressing optimism that another Resource Centre will timely be opened in Lagos, he also explained that the Awka Resource Centre is a sub-office of HREP, and revealed that the choice of Anambra State as the location for the first sub-office was basically informed by the fact that majority of the Governing Board members of the NGO hail from Anambra. “That was why we felt the need to bring it home to our people, to empower our people and to intervene, strategically, in the various human rights abuses that are prevalent in our society,” he added.

Continuing, the Awka-born Human Rights Lawyer, Barr. Moneke added that “This facility will not only focus on promotion of human rights, but will also focus on capacity building of our youths, giving voice to the voiceless, and galvanizing the critical minds of our youths, the whole Anambrarians and the good citizens of the south-east geopolitical zone to begin to engage towards positive change in our political terrain and the society at large.”

He highlighted some of the landmark achievements recorded by the NGO over the years, including providing pro bono legal services to people, suing and winning case against the Government of Lagos State over violation of freedom of movement of the people on account of environmental sanitation, among other landmark achievements they have attained, both legally and empowerment wise.

While appreciating everyone who made out time to grace the occasion, the Public Interest Activist, Barr. Moneke also encouraged youths and other members of the public to always come and identify with the organisation, so it will offer its services and assistance to them whenever the need arises, provided they haven’t committed any crime.

The NGO’s Awka Resource Centre provides such services as human rights interventions, training and mentoring, youth empowerment/human capital development, digital library, legal research and advocacy, and ICT services.

Among other personalities, the well-attended occasion was graced by some top-ranking legal practitioners, both at the state and the federal levels.