Speaker Subjects Infectious Disease Control Bill To Public Hearing

The House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, has denied any form of external inducement to him or the House leadership with a view to passing the proposed Infectious Disease Control Bill.

The controversial Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, 2020 being debated on the floor of the House of Representatives will be put to public hearing, the Speaker has said.

Hon. Gbajabiamila, who seemed to have bowed to public pressure, stated this during Tuesday’s plenary at the lower chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja.

He, however, disagreed with those who condemned the timing of the bill, insisting that it was appropriate to enact such a bill at this time.

The speaker also denied claims that the leadership of the House had received $10 million to pass the bill.

He decried that the allegations were weighty, and the House would take legal action.

Gbajabiamila made the remarks against the backdrop of the controversies that have trailed the bill when it was speedily passed through the first and second readings in the House.

The bill seeks to repeal the Quarantine Act of 2004 to suit modern realities and increase the penalty for violating the Act.

The Speaker, who described the allegation as “unfortunate and counterproductive” to the wellbeing of Nigerians, also said the Bill, based on popular demand, will follow laid down legislative procedures of public hearing which will take into cognisance, the need for social distancing.

Both the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase and Majority leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, rose to say that no dime was given to anyone to the best of their knowledge, as far as the passage of the proposed Bill was concerned, adding that the House guards jealously its integrity and passion with which it has pursued issues that relate to the wellbeing of Nigerians.

They also suggeated the need for the House to take a legal action against those making the allegation.

The position was also re-echoed by the Minority Caucus through its leader, Ndudi Elumelu who said he had consulted with his members and no one has received anything, be it bribe or lobby money to support the said bill.

Elumelu who was also supported in his assertion by Rep. Obinna Chidoka from Anambra, voiced his backing for the decision to take legal action against their accusers.