We know that the House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila’s withdrawn Bill to repeal our antiquated Quarantine Law and make the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, stronger and more effective will be reintroduced. But it must first be purged of all its objectionable contents.
The Bill was stood down after undergoing the second reading on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. No well-meaning Nigerian would argue against the need for a new legislation to replace the Quarantine Law of 2004 which has now proved inadequate for an effective response to outbreaks of pandemic proportions such as Coronavirus.
Imagine an Act that prescribes N200 fine for offenders or a six-month jail term or both. With our governors looking to avoid further overcrowding of our correctional centres, most offenders would simply walk home after paying the N200 fine.
However, Gbajabiamila’s Bill was too problematic to stand. He did not properly circulate the draft among his colleagues,…
Source: Vanguard Newspaper
