Infectious Diseases Bill: NGF, NLC, CWO, others reject bill at public hearing

…As House bars journalists from public hearing

…No external Influence on Infectious Disease Bill- Gbajabiamila

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) led the pack of concerned stakeholders in rejecting the controversial Infectious Diseases Bill being considered by the House of Representatives during a public hearing held behind closed doors on Wednesday.

Journalists covering the House were barred from entering the venue, except the Nigerian Television Authority and Channels television reporters and cameramen.

The Sergeant-at-Arm, the official police of parliament, stationed at the entrance of hearing Room 028, venue of the public hearing, said they were instructed not to allow journalists into the venue of the event.

According to them, it was only the chairman of the House Committee on Health Services, Rep. Tanko Sununu that would clear journalists to cover the event.

The security operatives, who hid their identity, said they were told that only the Nigerian Television (NTA) and Channels Television were invited to cover the public hearing, hence journalists from other media organisations cannot be allowed in.

Other stakeholders at the event include the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Centre for Social Justice, Jama’atul Nasirul Islam (JNI), Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Equity International Initiative, Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) and Action Group of Civic Space.

Also present were the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, Society of Environmental and Public Health of Nigeria and National Council of Women Societies of Nigeria (NCWS), among others.

Although the stakeholders said they saw the need to repeal the 1926 Quarantine Act, majority however, expressed reservations about the bill, which they averred vests too much power on the Director General of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the President and the police.

However, making the submission of Nigeria governors, Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, commended the House for its efforts in coming up with the Bill, stressing that they supported Bill but made some reservations among which bothers on both old and the new proposed Act, which the governors noted leave them with no powers to act in the event of an outbreak of any contagious disease.

Fayemi argued that the 1926 Quarantine Act is inadequate, raising concerns also on the powers of the NCDC DG, which he admitted are overbearing.

He advised that the discretionary powers should be looked into, pointing that though the powers may be well-intentioned but they appear overbearing in nature.

“So, we believe the House should take into cognizance some of the provisions of the Bill. This is a well-intentioned Bill,” he demanded.

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The Governors forum however recommended that a provision be included to empower state governors to declare an area an infectious zone and make necessary guidelines so that most powers especially as it affects the individual states can be exercised without the NCDC boss.

Fayemi also suggested that states be given powers to create their own centres for disease control and appoint medical personnel to oversee them though in collaboration with the NCDC, adding that all sections that are in conflict with the constitution as it affects the states should be expunged.

For instance in their presentation, the NLC demanded that the Bill be stepped down until further notice, probably when enough consultation and public enlightenment should have been made and given on the Bill. It was the same position canvassed by the Catholic Women Organisation of Nigeria.

For instance, the stakeholders criticised the powers of arrest given to the police, stating that it should be amended to check the excesses of the police especially as it bothers on abuse of the fundamental human rights of the citizens.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, again assured that the bill was not been driven by external Influence, in his opening remarks.

“I assure you of three things; the first is that no part of this Bill is the product of any external influence,” Gbajabiamila said in his remarks, while declaring the public hearing open.

Gbajabiamila said the House was committed to refining the Bill from contributions and recommendations of stakeholders until a perfect legislation that will solve present health challenges and not create or increase new, nor fuel unforeseen ones.

“The second is that we will not ignore your contributions and recommendations, as the House of Representatives is wholly committed to refining this Bill until we have a document that solves our present problems without creating new ones or exacerbating unforeseen challenges.

“And finally, I assure you that now, and always, our first commitment is to the Nigerian people, our fellow citizens, on whose behalf we hold office and in whose name we act.”

He explained that a lot of the engagement on the proposed law has been ill-informed and outrightly malicious, pointing out that there are many persons who benefit from promoting the falsehood that every government action is cynical, and every policy proposal must be the product of malignant influence.

“We must never succumb to the impulses that these elements represent”, he cautioned, instead such persons should be rejected outrightly in the interest and service to the nation.

According to him, every conversation, written contributions from stakeholders, will be considered in line with the Democratic traditions of partnering with Nigerians as the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, as it were a legislative proposal, imperfect in its current nature but will be improved substantially through interactions with stakeholders, civil society and citizen groups in pursuit of the common objective of achieving policy interventions that will enhance the wellbeing of all Nigerians.