Falana: Why Infectious Diseases Bill Is Illegal, Superfluous

Cat:

Related stories

Oshiomhole Breaks Silence on Viral Lagos Airport Clash with Air Peace Staff

By Abiola Olawale Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the lawmaker representing Edo...

SEC Blasts CBEX Says it remains Banned in Nigeria, as Crypto Platform

By Abiola Olawale The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has...

2027: Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai, Others Can’t Unseat Tinubu, They’re ‘Bound To Fail’ — Wike

By Kolawole Ojebisi The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday,...

Wike’s Defection To APC ‘ll Make PDP, Others ‘Writhe In Pain’ — Tinubu

By Kolawole Ojebisi President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday said the...

2025 Rivers N1.48 tn Budget Done In Readiness for Fubara’s Return — Ibas

By Kolawole Ojebisi The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice...

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, (SAN) has described the proposed Infectious Diseases Control Bill as superfluous, noting that its provisions are illegal and unconstitutional.

Falana said efforts to replace the Quarantine Act with the contentious bill was not what the nation requires now to tackle the burrowing Covid-19 health crisis.

The legal icon who reacted to provisions of the proposed bill while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Wednesday, said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Prevention Act of 2018 has taken care of what the legislators are trying to achieve.

Falana said, “It is pertinent to inform Nigerians that in November 2018, a law was enacted in this country – the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control Act, NCDC Act, which has taken care of infectious diseases in the country.

“So, it is not correct, in fact, it is misleading on the part of the House of Representatives to say that it is amending the 1926 Quarantine Act because there is already a development between 1926 and now. You had the 2018 Act which has taken care of the entire provisions of the new bill.

“The new bill, as far as the law is concerned, is superfluous. Its provisions are largely illegal and unconstitutional.”

The introduction of the infectious disease Bill has, however, proved controversial with many calling for it to be dumped.

The bills before the House of Representatives is co-sponsored by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila and two others.

Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday said the Bill was conceived in the best interests of the Nigerian people, saying it’s what the nation needs right now to boost its battle against Coronavirus infections and future infectious diseases.

According to him, the allegation that the Bill is a sinister attempt to turn the citizens into guinea pigs for medical research and take away their fundamental human rights was far from the truth.

'Dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide's journalism works intersect business, environment, politics and developmental issues. Among a number of local and international publications, his work has appeared in the New York Times. He's a winner of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Award. Currently, the Online Editor at The New Diplomat, Akintomide has produced reports that uniquely spoke to Nigeria's experience on Climate Change issues. When Akintomide is not writing, volunteering or working on a media project, you can find him seeing beautiful sites like the sandy beaches that bedecked the Lagos coastline.

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" pp_checkbox="yes" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXRvcCI6IjMwIiwibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjQwIiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMTUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3NjgsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMjAiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sImxhbmRzY2FwZV9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjExNDAsImxhbmRzY2FwZV9taW5fd2lkdGgiOjEwMTksInBob25lIjp7Im1hcmdpbi10b3AiOiIyMCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicGhvbmVfbWF4X3dpZHRoIjo3Njd9" display="column" gap="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTAiLCJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxNSJ9" f_msg_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_input_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_btn_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_family="downtown-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_weight="700" f_btn_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" btn_text="Unlock All" btn_bg="#000000" btn_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxOCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE0IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNCJ9" input_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjEyIiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxMCJ9" pp_check_color_a="#000000" f_pp_font_weight="600" pp_check_square="#000000" msg_composer="" pp_check_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.56)" msg_succ_radius="0" msg_err_radius="0" input_border="1" f_unsub_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_msg_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_weight="500" f_msg_font_weight="500" f_unsub_font_weight="500"]

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
Oshiomhole Breaks Silence on Viral Lagos Airport Clash with Air Peace StaffSEC Blasts CBEX Says it remains Banned in Nigeria, as Crypto Platform2027: Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai, Others Can't Unseat Tinubu, They're 'Bound To Fail' -- WikeWike's Defection To APC 'll Make PDP, Others 'Writhe In Pain' -- Tinubu2025 Rivers N1.48 tn Budget Done In Readiness for Fubara's Return -- Ibas[VIDEO] Drama As Oshiomhole, Air Peace Engage in Dirty Spat at Lagos AirportI'm Ready To Forgive Elon Musk..We've to Strengthen the Country, Says TrumpDele Momodu Tells Tinubu: You Can't Say Nigerians are Busybodies, Bystanders to Praise WikeOil Prices Slip Despite U.S.-China TalksDrama As Elon Musk Reverses Self on Trump, Says Criticism Went too farEx-Minister, Essien Blasts Gov Umo Eno For Piling Pressure on Lawmakers to DefectNigeria Not At War Yet Citizens Living Like Refugees In Own Country -- Peter ObiFubara's Sins 'll Be Forgiven Only If... APC2027: I'm Ready To Die For Tinubu's Victory In Abia -- KaluAtiku's Ally, Segun Sowunmi, Hints At Dumping PDP For APC, Says 'I May Likely Leave'
X whatsapp