•’Gender-based violence least prosecuted offence’
Senate President Bukola Saraki has clarified his stance on alleged plans by the Senate to gag the social media.
He said the public got the information wrong, saying, “there was nothing like anti-social media bill”.
He emphasised that there was no intention at all to gag the media, adding that the Senate wanted to prevent frivolous petitions submitted to the Upper Chamber.
The Senate President spoke yesterday while opening a seminar, entitled: “Implementation of Guidelines on Gender-Based Violence and Young Persons”, organised by Women Arise in Abuja.
Saraki said: “I want to reassure you, there is no bill called the anti-social media bill.”
However, he stated that “what we have before us is the bill of frivolous petitions. Generally, when we debate at the second reading, we only debate principles of a bill, not details of a bill. Unfortunately, in the bill of frivolous petitions, there are things which I will call obnoxious sections; these sections would not see light of the day by the time the bill is finished.”
He assured the public of openness and transparency, adding that “it was not our intention to gag any social media at all”.
Speaking on gender-based violence, Saraki stated that it is the least prosecuted offence in the country.
He lamented that if the nation could stand as one to fight the scourge, it would soon become history.
The senator said there was urgent need for serious advocacy against sexual assaults, especially among youths.
Saraki stated that about 60 per cent of the nation’s population are predominantly youths, thus urgent need for concerted efforts to stop gender-based violence.
“Truly if we want change in our society, this is the change we must all desire. We must all decide as a nation to stop gender based violence. Members of the Eight Senate would play its role to discourage gender based violence,” he added.
Earlier, Chairman Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye called for increased advocacy against the violence.
President, Women Arise Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin said the event was put together to disseminate guidelines on the violence through contacts with local responsible agencies, youth and youth serving organisations in the country.
She stated that the non-governmental organisation was committed to protecting young persons who were vulnerable to the scourge.