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Wednesday 22 June 2016

Saraki decries spate of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions

Bukola Saraki describes the rise in complaints of sexual harassment in Nigerian tertiary institutions as a dangerous trend Says sexual harassment incidences are becoming too frequent that it could no longer be ignored Says frequent cases of sexual harassment has the potential of hindering academic excellence among female students

Bukola Saraki says the frequent cases of sexual harassment has the potential of hindering academic excellence among Nigerian students, especially the females.
Bukola Saraki says the frequent cases of sexual harassment has the potential of hindering academic excellence among Nigerian students.

Senate president, Bukola Saraki has described the rise in sexual harassment complaints in tertiary institutions across the country as alarming.

 According to Vanguard, Saraki who made the disclosure on Tuesday, June 21 while declaring open the public hearing on the bill to provide for the prohibition of incidences of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions, said sexual harassment incidences were becoming too frequent that it could no longer be ignored. He said: “Complaints of sexual harassment in our places of learning are on the rise and this dangerous trend has quite a significant impact on the quality of learning, life and dignity of our children as a whole.” ‘’Sexual harassment incidences are beginning to factor dangerously in our higher institutions in such a manner that we can no longer ignore, otherwise we will be abdicating our responsibility to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the federation. He complained that the that frequent cases of sexual harassment has the potential of hindering academic excellence of students, especially among females.

The Senate president said the bill when passed into law, will further make the academic environment more accommodating for all who seek excellence.
“Yes, we have laws dealing with sexual offences in general, just like we have for many other offences. But in this regards, we are paying significant attention and treating this matter as a special challenge that requires specific and more deterring direct attention. ‘’This is in recognition of the many dimensions of its impact. We are also doing this to further send a message to all those who have utilized the seeming gaps in our body of laws to perpetrate this evil and destroy the hope of our children.  “This bill must also be seen as a message to our children that we hear their cries and we cannot seat idly by and watch. Let this also sound as a matching order to our law enforcement agencies to develop and adopt greater attention to deal with the growing menace and nip it in the bud. Making law is not enough,” Saraki said. He urged the executive arm of government to begin to pay attention to the right issues affecting the lives of the  people, including those with direct impact on the  peoples’ enjoyment of liberty, freedom and aspirations. Saraki said there waas need for students to feel safe again in schools and concern themselves with their learning rather than of their safety and protection.
In another development, Bukola Saraki, and the deputy Senate president Ike Ekweremadu have been officially served with charges of criminal conspiracy and forgery by a Federal Capital Territory High Court. Both Saraki and Ekweremadu are accused of forging the Senate Standing Rules 2015. The charges were pasted on the notice boards of the Senate at the National Assembly on Tuesday, June 21, by a court bailiff.


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