The Senate today rejected a bill proposing the option of wearing skirts by female members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The
bill which was sponsored by Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP-Taraba), was
debated by the lawmakers today.
Senator Bwacha told his colleagues that the bill is intended to amend
Sections 13 and 16 of the Principal Act that infringes on the religious
rights of some of the corps members.
Bwacha, who is Deputy Minority
Leader, noted that the NYSC was a laudable scheme established in 1973 by
the then military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon.
“It was part of the effort by the Federal Government to rebuild,
reconstruct and reconcile Nigerians following the unfortunate incidents
of the civil war which ended in 1970.
It is important to point out that
while the scheme has lived up to expectation as a reliable platform for
nurturing young patriotic Nigerians, fostering unity and promoting a
better understanding of our religious and cultural differences, it has,
however, become necessary to amend the Principal Act. This is with a
view to address observed lapses and shortcomings.
One of such lapses is
that the penalty for offences contained in the Act is now outdated and
in need of urgent review. Secondly, Section 16 of the Principal Act
mandates the NYSC Directorate to make regulations or by-laws relating to
discipline, exercise regimen, uniforms, welfare of corps etc.
Uniforms
and drills adopted by the Directorate have become a basis for tension
and controversy between the Directorate and corps members and other
members of the public.
The major bone of contention is that some of the
uniforms and drills contravene religious beliefs and practices of corps
members and invariably their right to freedom of religion, thought and
conscience under the Nigerian Constitution.
This bill essentially
addresses the above mentioned lapses in the Principal Act,” he said.
Most of the senators rejected the bill, saying it is unnecessary and a waste of time.
One of the senators, Senator Suleiman Adokwe said it should be the
religious bodies that feel unhappy by the choice of uniform for its
members that should put pressure on the NYSC to change the uniforms and
not for the senate to change the laws that guide the scheme.
“The amendment being suggested is not even worth the trouble. This is
because the powers to prescribe uniform is what the NYSC Act is to the
Directorate.
“I believe if the directorate wants to change the uniform
at any time, it is a matter of deciding because it only has power to
prescribe the type of uniform.
The type of uniform is even not
prescribed; so I don’t know why we should trouble ourselves; all you
need to do is to put pressure on the directorate to change the uniform
but not necessarily to change the law.
All the religious organisations
that are feeling oppressed by it should put pressure and lobby the
directorate to change its dress code,” Adokwe said.
A voice vote was taken and the senators rejected the bill.