The House of Representatives, on Thursday, passed for second reading, a bill that seeks the inclusion of young persons and persons living with disabilities (PLWDs) in appointments in Nigeria.
The draft legislation, titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Provide for Inclusion of Young Persons and Persons with Disabilities in Appointments in Nigeria; and for Related Matters,’ is sponsored by the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Leading the debate on the Bill on behalf of the Speaker, who presided over the session, the chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Rep. Abubakar Hassan Fulata, said it seeks to alter certain provisions of the constitution to accommodate the inclusion of young persons and PLWDs in appointments at all levels.
He listed the sections as 102, 151, 192 and 196, which he said deals with powers of appointments by various leaders at all levels.
Arguing on the need for the Bill, Fulata said the 8th House passed the Not too Young to Run Bill, which became an Act, saying “Let young persons and persons with disabilities now be given the opportunity to be appointed as ministers and commissioners.
“We shouldn’t just limit the powers of young people and people with disabilities to elective offices alone.”
However, Rep. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta expressed concerns that the Bill, if passed, could place some form of discrimination against other Nigerians.
He said as it is, after passing the Bill, issues such as the various categories of PLWDs for appointments could come up, arguing that instead of putting it in the constitution, the House should pass a resolution urging the government to come up with a policy on that.
Clarifying, the Speaker said policies come and go depending on the government in power, but that if it is included in the law, it would be binding on all governments in the future.
Gbajabiamila also said that the issue of the various categories of PLWDs would be adequately addressed by the federal character law.
When the Bill was put to a voice vote, the lawmakers unanimously voted for its passage for second reading. It was then referred to the Special Adhoc Committee on the 1999 Constitution.
