The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill prohibiting persons convicted of sexual offences from working with children, either as a teacher in schools or under any other job description likely to expose children to any form of abuse such as rape.
The passage of the Child Rights Act, 2003 (Amendment) Bill, 2020, followed a clause-by-clause consideration of a report by the Committee on Women Affairs, Chaired by Senator Betty Apiafi (PDP, Cross River West).
The Upper Chamber in an amendment to Section 195 of the Principal Act, inserted a new clause 195A which provides that: “In Criminal proceedings, a person will be found unsuitable to work with children – (a) on conviction of murder, attempted murder, rape, indecent assault or assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm with regards to a child; or
“(b) Persons whom the court have deemed incapable of understanding proceedings or entering a proper Defence due to mental illness as ruled by the court especially in matters which constitute murder, attempted rape, indecent or other sexual Offences with intent to do grievous bodily harm where the court would have convicted such persons but for the Defence of mental illness.”
The Senate with the introduction of Clause 2 listed the categories of persons unsuitable to work with children as: “Any person who has been convicted of murder, attempted rape, indecent assault or sexual Offences with the intent to do grievous bodily harm with regard to a child during the five years preceding the commencement of this amendment.”
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in a brief remark after the bill was passed, said, “there was prevalence of rape, especially of young children and in our institutions as well.”
“So, this amendment is going to cure those kind of societal ills that will keep away those rapists from our children,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Senate has approved the establishment of the Chatered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professional of Nigerian.
The approval came with the clause-by-clause consideration of a report by the Committee on Establishment and Public Service on the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Professionals of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2021.
The report was presented by Senator Ibrahim Shekarau (APC, Kano Central).
According to Shekarau, the objectives of the bill includes effective regulation, registration of members to acquire skills and knowledge in order to qualify and practice as forensic and investigative professionals.
The Institute when established would make provision for the training of professionals from other disciplines like Lawyers, Criminologists, and Security Experts, Judicial Officers, Court Registrars, amongst others that are desirous to become skilled in this unique practice of financial fraud prevention, detection and investigation. This is because Forensic and Investigative Professionals involve litigation support, court testimony and expert witness.
In his concluding remarks, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said the “new Institute should provide the kind of services that would ensure that corruption, particularly in the public sector – but generally in both private and public sectors are easily identified and nipped in the bud.”
“We don’t need to have EFCC chasing people. I think if we can nip in the bud if we reduce the chances of people doing away with billions,” Lawan added.
Meanwhile, the Upper Chamber also on Tuesday passed a bill that would protect older persons against discrimination.
The passage of the bill followed the consideration of a report by the Women Affairs Committee on the Older Persons (Rights and Privileges) Bill, 2020.