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LequteMan
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A bill prohibiting sexual harassment of students by educators in Nigerian tertiary educational institutions on Tuesday scaled through second reading at the senate, with a majority of the senators backing the bill.
According to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, (Delta central) sexual harassment was rife in many higher institutions in Nigeria, and there's need for a law to eradicate it.
“Sexual harassment is a vice in our higher institutions. We are using this bill to send a message that enough is enough,” he said.
Theodore Orji, a senator from Abia state, said he believe the "bill will do enough in curtailing the vice in our higher institutions,” he said.
However, Dino Melaye, a senator from Kogi west, while making his contribution, said that sexual harassment was a two-way traffic.
“I support wholeheartedly that this bill be enacted to stand as deterrent to lecturers who take advantage of female students,” he said.
“However, the seductive and provocative dresses of our students who enter offices of lecturers who have no anointing to resist sexual temptation should be discouraged.”
Sen. Stella Oduah called for a quick passage of the bill.
“When you harass these girls you have ruined their lives,” she lamented. “We should encourage an accelerated passage of this bill.”
In his contribution, Yahaya Aliyu, a senator from Kebbi north, called for a blanket law against sexual harassment, instead of one that is targeted at a section of society.
“If we are to make laws against sexual harassment we should do it across the board. Targeting one section of society is discriminatory,” he said.
After listening to the arguments, Senate President Bukola Saraki put the bill to a voice vote to which lawmakers gave their nods.
Afterwards, he referred the bill to the committee on judiciary for more legislative treatment, and directed it to submit its report within four weeks.
The bill has to be read a third time, before it is passed.
The Sun
According to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, (Delta central) sexual harassment was rife in many higher institutions in Nigeria, and there's need for a law to eradicate it.
“Sexual harassment is a vice in our higher institutions. We are using this bill to send a message that enough is enough,” he said.
Theodore Orji, a senator from Abia state, said he believe the "bill will do enough in curtailing the vice in our higher institutions,” he said.
However, Dino Melaye, a senator from Kogi west, while making his contribution, said that sexual harassment was a two-way traffic.
“I support wholeheartedly that this bill be enacted to stand as deterrent to lecturers who take advantage of female students,” he said.
“However, the seductive and provocative dresses of our students who enter offices of lecturers who have no anointing to resist sexual temptation should be discouraged.”
Sen. Stella Oduah called for a quick passage of the bill.
“When you harass these girls you have ruined their lives,” she lamented. “We should encourage an accelerated passage of this bill.”
In his contribution, Yahaya Aliyu, a senator from Kebbi north, called for a blanket law against sexual harassment, instead of one that is targeted at a section of society.
“If we are to make laws against sexual harassment we should do it across the board. Targeting one section of society is discriminatory,” he said.
After listening to the arguments, Senate President Bukola Saraki put the bill to a voice vote to which lawmakers gave their nods.
Afterwards, he referred the bill to the committee on judiciary for more legislative treatment, and directed it to submit its report within four weeks.
The bill has to be read a third time, before it is passed.
The Sun
