Infectious Disease Bill - Violates Human rights with no checks to Powers

When the house of representatives resumed plenary sessions on Tuesday, the lawmakers debated on a number of issues including the infectious diseases control bill which seeks to repeal the quarantine act of 1926 and provide for new regulations that would enable Nigeria adequately manage situations like the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill, which passed for second reading on that day, has been a subject of controversy owing to some provisions which some Nigerians have argued infringe on the fundamental rights of citizens.

Sponsored by Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker, alongside two other lawmakers including Pascal Obi and Tanko Sununu, the piece of legislation seeks to “make provisions relating to quarantine and make regulations for preventing the introduction into and spread in Nigeria of dangerous infectious diseases, and for other related matters; and for related matters”.

Although the bill is yet to be approved by the house much less being concurred to by the senate before being sent to the president for assent, a copy of it obtained by TheCable shows that apart from the issues of human rights concern such as arbitrary arrests, it also gives the director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the minister of health powers without adequate checks.


Read the highlights here: https://www.thecable.ng/compulsory-vaccination-arbitrary-arrest-inside-house-of-reps-diseases-control-bill/amp