The National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria (NHRC) has called on Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo, to revisit a policy that denies children access to education if their parents fail to provide a verifiable Tax Clearance Certificate.

Sir Agabaidu Jideani, National Commissioner in Charge of the Right to Education at NHRC, expressed concerns that the policy could infringe on the fundamental human right to education, guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution.

“We must balance the obligation to pay taxes with the need to protect this right,” Jideani emphasized.

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The policy, introduced by the Kogi State Board of Internal Revenue Services, mandates educational institutions to refuse registration to students whose parents cannot provide a verifiable tax clearance certificate.

Jideani acknowledged the state government’s efforts to ensure tax compliance but argued that the policy could inadvertently deny children their right to education.

“I urge the Governor of Kogi State to revise this policy, ensuring that it does not jeopardize the education of innocent children,” Jideani said.

He commended the governor’s efforts to develop the state but cautioned that the policy could undermine progress made in reducing out-of-school children in Kogi State.

Jideani’s concerns echo the importance of education as a fundamental human right, universally accepted in democratic societies.

The NHRC commissioner’s call to revise the policy aims to strike a balance between tax compliance and the right to education, ensuring that innocent children are not denied access to education due to their parents’ tax status.