…Demand public scrutiny, stakeholder consultations

…As Melaye drags NASS, AGF to court

…Seeks order halting passage of bill

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri & Gabriel Ewepu

NOT less than 39 Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, yesterday kicked against the Control of Infectious Disease Bill 2020 on the floor of the House of Representatives over alleged threat to human rights.

This came on a day former federal lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye, approached the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, praying it to stop the National Assembly from taking further steps to pass the controversial bill.

The CSOs include Girl Child Africa; Centre For Liberty; Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD); Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Say No Campaign; Amnesty International; Yiaga Africa; Global Rights; African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL); Lawyers Alert; Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC); Enough is Enough; Community Life Project; Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD); Centre for Impact Advocacy; Concerned Nigerians; Lex Community NG; Education as a Vaccine; Dinidari Foundation; Albino Foundation; The Community of PWDs in Nigeria; Dorothy Njemanze Foundation; Tap Nitiative for citizens development; Raising New Voices Initiative; Haly Hope Foundation; Youths Concerns Development Foundation; Adopt A Goal For Development Initiative; Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution; PITCH Nigeria; House of Justice; Molluma Medico-Legal Centre;

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Others are Albino Foundation; The Community of PWDs in Nigeria;. Alliances for Africa; Youths in Motion; Persons with Disabilities Action Network (PEDANET), Nigeria; Silverchip Fox; Community Action for Popular Participation CAPP; Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED); Human and Environmental Development Agenda; and International Press Centre, IPC, Lagos, Nigeria.

In a statement signed by the leaders, the coalition noted that the bill, co-sponsored by speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Pascal Obi and Tanko Sununu, had passed second reading at plenary without consultation with stakeholders.

The bill, which seeks to repeal the obsolete Quarantine Act of 1929 and enact the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, makes provisions relating to quarantine and regulations for preventing the introduction into and spread of dangerous infectious diseases in Nigeria, and for other related matters.

According to the coalition, the bill was slated for a record third reading same day it passed second reading before it was resisted by some vigilant members.

The statement read: “We are alarmed by the House of Representatives’ attempt to give accelerated passage to such a critical legislation like the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill without consultation and inputs from relevant stakeholders and the public.

“We understand that the House is resolute to pass the bill and it has fixed Tuesday, May 5, 2020, for presentation of the report of the Committee of the Whole and clause by clause voting on the bill without public hearing or consultation with relevant stakeholders. This runs contrary to the principles of effective and inclusive lawmaking.’’

Meanwhile, former federal lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye, yesterday approached the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, and prayed  it to stop the National Assembly from taking further steps to pass the bill

Melaye, who hitherto represented Kogi West in the Senate, in his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/463/2020, maintained that several portions of the proposed law, which is intended to amend the Quarantine Act of 1926, were unconstitutional, illegal, and wrongful, saying they would amount to flagrant abuse of his fundamental rights.

He noted that there was no known emergency which its provisions were intended to cure, in view of the fact that the Federal Government was already relaxing the lockdown.

In a supporting affidavit he attached to the suit, Melaye urged the court to issue an order of injunction to restrain the Clerk of the National Assembly, the National Assembly, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police, who were cited as 1st  to 5th Respondents in the matter, from further proceeding with, or continuing with further debates with respect to the bill.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.

Vanguard