International human rights scholar, Prof. Uchenna Emelonye, has renewed calls for an enforceable framework to mandate businesses in Nigeria to adhere to policies and a code of conduct that will entrench and internalise the protection of human rights in the course of their operations.
 
 Emelonye, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AfriRIGHTS and Professor of Law at Bournemouth University, United Kingdom, made the call while speaking at the United Nations Business & Human Rights Panel Discussion as a panellist.

The event, which was moderated by Adwoa Kufuor-Owusu of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), drew participants from across the world and had other eminent panellists like the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Dr Ayo Sotinrin.

Speaking on the topic, ‘From Policy To Practice: Operationalising Human Rights in Nigeria’s Industrial and Energy Transition,’ the former Senior United Nations Envoy said businesses in Nigeria need to act responsibly, align profit-making with human rights standards, labour protections, and environmental sustainability, and ultimately place people at the centre of profit.
   
Emelonye decried many instances of human rights violations by businesses in Nigeria and advocated for a mandatory Human Rights Impact Assessment for all businesses that will embed rights into the design, implementation and closure phases of business projects.
   
“When you take a closer look at the mining sector, you will notice that communities, which host these mining activities, are usually left in ruins after the operations of the mining companies. This is not supposed to be so if human rights are part and parcel of the life circle of the project, thus ensuring concrete restitution, restoration, and accountability in case of violation,” he said.