Group proposes 10 years jail term for abusers of national flag

On September 17, 2011 · In News
By Chris Ochayi, Abuja
A bill seeking amendment to the 1960 National Flag to make room for stiffer penalty of ten years imprisonment against those who abuse the Nigerian national flag would soon be forwarded to the National Assembly.
Director General, Flag Foundation of Nigeria, FGN, Mr. Chris Agiri who disclosed this yesterday during the 51st birthday of the Nigerian national flag in Abuja, said the bill is seeking among other things, jail terms for individuals and organisations that either burn or flying tattered Nigerian flags within their premises.
Mr. Agiri said one of the reasons for the abuse of the flag is because of the weakness of national flag Act, adding, the penalty today is just a fine of N100, while penalty for same abuse of flag attracts life imprisonment in the United States of America, USA.
“Research has shown that Nigerian national flag is one of the best flag of the nations on earth, but ironically, it is the most abused national flag in the world.”
He noted that the bill specifically spelt out outright sack or dismissal for any head of organisations, which abuse the flag. According to him, burning of the national flag during protest is a crime and anybody found to be doing so will spend ten years behind the bar.
“Respect for national flag, is no indolence, it is a moral duty, a civil responsibility, a constitutional obligation and a national assignment.
“We therefore use this opportunity to propose that let the national flag of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, be given a name, let 16th of every September be marked by all as Flag Day, and let the national flag Act be amended to make room for stiffer penalty against those who abuse the flag.
“This flag, is the only property jointly owned by all Nigerians in equal capacity. It is therefore the burden duty of every patriotic Nigerian to protect it even with his or her last blood. The need to uphold the dignity of this flag cannot be over emphasized, as it represents the symbol of our great country.
“As we mark the 51st birthday of the existence of our national flag, for the first time in history, it must be recalled that the resolution of the parliament sitting in Lagos, the then capital of our great country, the Act that brought the national flag in existence was enacted.
“This Act originally known as Flags and Coat-of-Arms ordinance 48 of September 16th, 1960 placed the Ministry of Internal Affairs, now, Ministry of Interior as the supervisory and regulatory authority for the usage and protocol of the flag.”

SOURCE: Saturday Vanguard 17 September 2011. http://www.vanguardngr.com