South East
Equal Opportunities Bill Suffers Setback In Enugu Assembly
Members of the
Enugu State House of Assembly, turned down a bill seeking Equal Rights and Opportunities for Men and Women and Other Matters presented before it by one of its female colleagues, saying its contents are anti-African culture.
The Bill, sponsored by Hon. Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu,representing Nsukka West Constituency and House Committee Chairman on Gender Affairs, had scaled the first reading.
However, it suffered a setback during the House Tuesday’s plenary, as most members kicked viciously against the bill, arguing that it was anti-cultural as well as anti-African.
It was heading for total rejection when the Speaker, Hon. Edward Ubosi, intervened, and suggested that they should step it down to make room for further consultations.
The speaker appreciated the sponsor of the bill for her effort so far, saying that the bill should be stepped down for wider consultation and further debate on a later date.
He said that the assembly would not want to kill the bill pre-maturely even though majority of his members kicked against it.
The sponsor of the bill, Dame Omeje-Ogbu, had earlier posited that if passed into law, “the Enugu State Equal Opportunities Bill would protect all persons from discrimination on the basis of sex in the private and public spaces.
She said that the bill provided protection for women bodies, integrity, human dignity, and would affirm their rights to equal opportunities to realize their full potentials.
Ogbu further stated that the bill, if passed, would be published so that any person who has any comments on all or any of the provisions may submit same to the clerk of the House.
The female lawmaker, equally stressed that the bill was seeking for positions, appointments of women of Enugu State, adding that neither marriage, divorce nor widowhood would deny women their rights.
She noted that Enugu State women should be given equal opportunities as men because they attended same school, got the same degree, and wondered why they should be discriminated against.
Ogbu also explained that the purpose of the bill was to give effect to chapters 2 to 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In his submission to the debate before it was stepped down, Hon. Sunny Ude- Okoye, the member representing Awgu North Constituency said that he would not be a party to such bill because here is Africa and not America.
Ude-Okoye suggested that if anybody wants such practice as suggested in the bill, such a person should go to America.
He pointed out that debating on the bill was a waste of time because the right of everybody, including women, has been provided for in the Constitution, stressing that there was something that meets the eye in the bill which he described as a deceit.
His word: “It is a total deceit, if you say 35%, it is deceit, why not say 50%. I am saying that I am against the bill in its entirety, and will never be in support of it,” he insisted.
Also contributing, another lawmaker, Iloabuchi Aniagu, representing Nkanu West aligned him- self with Ude-Okoye, saying that the bill should be stepped down for further consultation.
The police in Ebonyi State say they have discovered the body of a yet to be identified middle-aged woman in a hotel room in Abakaliki, the state capital. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Loveth Odah, stated this yesterday.
She said the body has deep cuts on the chest and neck and has been deposited in a mortuary. According to the spokesman, it was discovered at Crown Garden Hotel located along the ever-busy Afikpo road in the capital city.
Mrs Odah, who said that the victim was found in the pool of her own blood, said the suspect had been identified as one Uchenna Awoke.
She said the hotel manager, Emmanuel Eze, the supervisor, and other workers had been taken to the police station for questioning and accused the hotel management of negligence.
“The manager of the hotel, the supervisor and other staff of the hotel were taken to the station for questioning and I must confess to you that the whole thing is negligence on the part of the hotel management. How can a guest be murdered in a hotel room and days after, the management is not aware of the incident.”
“We will investigate the matter properly and I assure you, the perpetrator of the act must be arrested and prosecuted. All we are asking is for the members of the public to avail the police of useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect.”
The Senate yesterday passed the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2018.
The proposed commission aims at enhancing the infrastructural development of the South East zone, which is grappling with huge ecological challenges.
It also seeks to act as a catalyst for the development of the commercial potential of the zone.
The proposed legislation requires the concurrence of the House of Representatives to become a bill of the National Assembly, and the President’s assent to become a law.
Senators Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) and Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo) jointly sponsored the bill read in the Senate on June 22, 2016.
Its passage in the Red Chamber followed the presentation of the report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service by its former Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa), on the floor of the Senate.
The bill, after Paulker’s presentation, was considered clause by clause by the committee of the whole, and amendments made by the lawmakers were read for the third time and eventually passed.
In his remarks, presiding Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, commended his colleagues for a job well done.
In his words, “Every morning we pray that God should give us the grace to do only those things that will promote the peace and unity of this country.
“I believe that we have shown today that we are committed to the unity of this country, and it is this unity that will give us faith in this country.
“This faith will in turn help us to pursue peace and progress,” he said.
Briefing newsmen after plenary, members the South East caucus of the Senate, led by Sen. Enhinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia), thanked their colleagues and members of the committee for their efforts.
Abaribe, who spoke on behalf of the caucus, urged the President to sign the bill into law “as soon as we tidy it up and bring to him, in the interest of the unity and progress of Nigeria”.
“This will put to rest the long-drawn agitation in the South East, and the difficulties in the rehabilitation and reconciliation efforts that started at the end of the civil war.
“All things we see always will end up at the negotiating table, which is what we have done,” he said.
The lawmaker said he hoped the House of Representatives would give concurrence to the bill as it went in the Senate.
When established, the South East Development Commission would be the third zonal interventionist body in the country.
Bishop David Oyedepo, the Founder and Presideng Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, on Saturday predicted that nothing would disturb the peace of Nigeria and its story would change for the better in the year 2019.
Oyedepo made the declaration at the just concluded annual prophetic gathering of the Winners’ family, christened the “Dominion”, in a satellite telecast of the church.
In the telecast monitored in Abuja, the cleric also declared that 2019 would be a year of “I have Dominion”.
“Nothing will tamper with the peace of Nigeria; the story will change for the better in the name of Jesus.
“Nigeria shall not see bloodshed, the Prince of Peace will continue to dominate in Nigeria, in Africa and Nigeria is declared blessed.
“Anywhere you step, accident is forbidden; death will not come near you and our nation.
“Anything that is of grace in my life, I freely release upon you today.
“God has opened the year 2019 to us, celebrate Him because its our year of “I have Dominion,” he said.
The Bishop added that the year 2019 would be a year of humbling testimonies for Nigeria and pace-setting testimonies.
He further declared that 2019 would be a colourful year for the nation.
According to the cleric, as long as Jesus has the final say on the issues of Nigeria, it will experience greatness.
Oyedepo said that there would be no more cause of alarm in any area of the nation and its citizens.
He advised Christians in Nigeria to delight themselves in the spirit of servant-hood, adding that the spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood.
“The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood. As you keep rising on the ladder of leadership, you must retain our spirit of servant-hood, constantly working to add value to others and be kingdom minded,” he said.
According to him, dedication is at the root of dominion, saying: “Sow yourself as a seed by being totally dedicated to God and His Kingdom’’.
He told his congregation that sacrificial giving guarantees the meeting of all their needs.
“When you engage in taking care of the well-being of others, God is also committed to your well-being,” he explained. The cleric admonished Christians would engage in meeting the needs of the needy, every barrier on their path of destiny would be crushed.
“Nobody tampers with your life, your career, your family and goes away with it because you are promoted to God’s kingdom.
“God will stand for your defence in the day of trouble. Every sacrificial giver has a defence around him in the day of trouble always have that in mind,” he said.
He reminded his congregation that the Church is not a building; the Church is a people and the Redeemed of the Lord.
