The senate on Tuesday resolved to ensure the speedy passage of the bill for an act to make provision for the prohibition of sexual harassment of students by Educators in Tertiary Educational Institutions sponsored by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and 57 other lawmakers.
Omo-Agege while presenting the bill for second reading decried the high rate of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions and emphasized that the bill if passed will protect and reassure the students of their rights.
"We are seeking to protect the rights of our students in the tertiary institutions sexual harassment is a violation of both spiritual and state laws" he stated
Other lawmakers in their contribution expressed satisfaction with the bill; Senator Theodore Orji stated that the bill requires express passage adding that he supports the bill as an elder and a father.
Senator Stella Oduah while making her contribution noted that molesting and harassing girls kills their spirit, she urged her colleagues to encourage passage of the Bill.
“We should all encourage the accelerated passage of this bill, these girls are kids, if they dress indecently look away or tell them to dress properly, do not harass them sexually" She said.
Senator Yahaya Abdullahi added that sexual harassment has the same effect irrespective of where the act is carried urging that Sexual Harassment laws should be included in the code of conducts of Universities and ensure they are implemented.
The senate president, Bukola Saraki in his remarks thanked the sponsors of the bill and expressed the readiness of the senate to fast track the bill.
“This is a well thought out and very important bill, we must stamp out sexual harassment in our society” he stated
He referred the bill to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Resources and Legal Matters to report back in 4 weeks.
Also another frontline bill passed second reading a bill for an act to establish the National transport commission as an independent Multi-Modal Economic regulator for the transport industry sponsored by Senator Andy Uba passed.
Recall that the 8th senate had listed a number of priority bills aimed at improving lives of citizens and the economy some of these bills include; the procurement amendment bill, the petroleum industry and governance bill (PIB), Climate Change bill, North East development Commission bill, Agric Credit grants and facilities bill etc
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