Atiku hails re-introduction of anti-sexual harassment bill

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general election, Atiku Abubakar. has applauded the Senate for re-introducing the anti-sexual harassment bill.

Atiku, a former vice president, expressed hope that the bill if passed into law, would address the sex for grades scourge and help to get rid of predators in Nigeria higher institutions.

He wrote on his verified Twitter account, @atiku, on Thursday, “I welcome the reintroduction of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill, a carryover from the 8th @NGRSenate. I hope that it will be one among several interventions in addressing the #SexForGrades scourge and in ensuring that our campuses are rid of predators.”

The Senate had on Wednesday re-introduced the bill, which was sponsored by Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege and read at the plenary of the 9th Senate for the first time.

The bill was earlier passed by the 8th Senate, under the leadership of Bukola Saraki. It was also then sponsored by Omo-Agege and 57 other senators and titled: “Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institution Prohibition Bill.”

Among others, the bill recommended a five-year jail term for lecturers and educators convicted of sexual harassment of their male or female students, expulsion or suspension for students whose claims of being serially abused by lecturers or educators are found to be false by any competent court.

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It also prescribed a fine of N5 million in the event that the accused person is convicted by a competent court of law.

However, the bill was not able to make it at the House of Representatives, as members of the lower chamber of the National Assembly rejected the bill when it was sent to them for concurrence.

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