Enugu assembly passes violence against persons bill

The Enugu state House of Assembly Thursday passed the bill seeking to eliminate Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) and other related matters.

The bill, which was a private member bill, was sponsored by Mr. Chukwuka Eneh (PDP Udi-south) and facilitated by the Women Aid Collective (WACOL), an Enugu based NGO.

The assembly had on October 23, 2018, stepped down the bill for further legislative consultation, while the committee report on it was equally stepped down on April 2, 2019 for lack of proper arrangement.

The House of Representatives had passed the bill in 2013 followed by the Senate in 2015.

Eneh, in his submission, said the bill if passed, would eliminate violence against private and public lives, physical, sexual, psychological, domestic, harmful traditional practices and discrimination against persons.

He said that it would also provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment to offenders and other matters related there with.

In his contribution, Mr James Akadu (PDP- Igbo Etiti-west ) said that the bill was timely, though the assembly had passed a similar bill but the punishment of the previous bills were not clearly stated like this very one.

Akadu commended the facilitators of the bill for a job well done and urged his colleagues to accelerate its passage.

Mr. Obinna Okenwa (PDP –Enugu-south urban) described the bill as `an improvement’ on the previously passed related bill.

Okenwa said that the bill would go a long way in protecting all persons irrespective of gender unlike the previous bills which would always give protection to only women and children.

Member representing Nsukka-west constituency, Mrs. Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu said that the bill was apt as it would address incessant rape cases in the state.

The speaker of the assembly, Chief Edward Ubosi, thanked the joint committee and other colleagues for a job well-done.

He commended the committee for hastening up to meet the stipulated time of three days they were given.

Ubosi said that the bill would go a long way in addressing the issue of violence of all kinds in the society.

He commended the sponsor of the bill for a job well done and adjourned sitting to Thursday April 25. (NAN)

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