Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) has rejected the ongoing s*xual Harassment Offences
Bill, in the Senate, saying the bill was targeted at lecturers.
According to the union, the bill is vindictive and it undermines university autonomy.
ASUU
President Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, while speaking yesterday, in Abuja, at a
public hearing on the bill, organised by the Senate Committee on
Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, asked the Senate in
particular and the National Assembly, in general not to allow the bill
have its way.
Professor
Ogunyemi said their is an existing law that prescribed punishments over
misconduct generally among both staff and students, clearly
articulating appropriate redress mechanism.
“Any law or bill which seeks to supplant these laws violates the university autonomy,” he said.
“In
this particular instance, the bill violates the Federal Government of
Nigeria and ASUU agreement of 2009 and as such should be rejected,”
Ogunyemi said.
He also
noted that s*xual harassment was a societal problem and not peculiar to
tertiary institutions and so tertiary institutions should not be
singled out for such law.
Thisday cullage.
