The house reintroduced the bill aimed at promoting and protecting ethical standards, as well as addressing sexual harassment in tertiary institutions
The House of Representatives has recommitted the bill which seeks to promote ethical standards and curtail sexual harassment in higher institutions in the country.
Four other proposed legislations that failed to pass in the proceeding assembly were also recommitted.
The sexual harassment bill was introduced in 2016 by former deputy president of the senate, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege but the legislative process on the bill was not concluded as of the end of the 8th National Assembly in 2019. Sen. Omo-Agege, when he later became the Deputy Senate President in the subsequent 9th National Assembly, alongside 106 other senators, reintroduced the bill in 2019.
Chairman, rules and business committee of the House, Rep. Francis Waive (APC, Delta) at Wednesday’s plenary session re-committed the bill for reconsideration and concurrence.
The bills were presented by way of a motion taken at plenary, entitled, ‘outstanding bills from preceding assembly.’
These are the bills recommitted:
(i) Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institutions bill, 2024(HB.1598);
(ii) Federal University of Health Sciences and Technology, Kankia, Katsina State (Establishment)
bill, 2024(HB.1582);
(iii) Federal Medical Centres Act (Amendment) bill, 2024 (HB.1386);
(iv) Nigerian Health Infrastructure Development Bank (Establishment) bill, 2023 (HB.816); and
(v) Nigeria Police Force College, Training School and Institution (Establishment, Etc.) bill, 2023 (HB.1794).”
Presenting the motion, Rep. Waive said: “Pursuant to Order Twelve, Rule 17 of the Standing Orders, the House may, upon being regazetted or circulated, reconsider in the Committee of the Whole, without commencing de-novo, the bill(s)–
(a) whose report was presented by the Committee before consideration;
(b) passed by the House and forwarded to the Senate for concurrence for which no concurrence was made or negative;
(c) passed by the Senate and forwarded to the House for which no concurrence was made or negative;
or; (d) passed by the preceding Assembly and forwarded to the President for assent but for which assent or withholding therefore was not communicated before the end of the tenure of the preceding Assembly”
He also noted that the aforementioned bills were passed by the preceding assembly and forwarded to the president for assent but for which assent or withholding thereof was not communicated before the end of the tenure of the last assembly.
