By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has been urged to give accelerated assent to the state HIV/AIDS Anti-stigma and discrimination Bill when passed by the state House of Assembly.
Initiative for Grassroots Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA), leading a coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on HIV/AIDS in Kogi made the appeal during a Public Hearing on the anti-stigma Bill at the Assembly Complex in Lokoja.
Executive Director, INGRA, Mr Hamza Aliyu,
said that there was need for the Governor to quickly assent to the Bill to give persons living with HIV and AIDS in Kogi State a respite from the deluge of discrimination that they have been facing.
The Bill is titled: A Bill For A Law To Provide For The Prevention Of HIV And AIDS Based Discrimination And Protection Of The Rights And Dignity Of People Living With And Affected By HIV And AIDS And For Other Related Matters, 2024.
Aliyu said that the Bill was sponsored by Hon. Bin Ebaiya Shehu Tijjani, Member representing Lokoja I State Constituency and supported by INGRA and AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria/International.
According to him, the bill was presented to the Assembly on March 28th and had its First Reading on Wednesday, April 24th and the Second Reading, May 7, paving way for the Public Hearing and eventual passage.
After this stage of legislation of the Bill, the House is expected to consider it clause-by-clause at a Committee of the Whole before the Third and final reading.
According to the Executive Director of INGRA, the objectives of the Bill include prevention of acquisition of the dreaded HIV and its disease (AIDS) and curtailment of its spread in cases where it is already acquired.
Other major objectives of the bill are elimination of discrimination and protection of the rights and dignity of those living with or affected by the virus and or its disease.
Aliyu said that the One-day Public Hearing was organized by the House Joint Committees on Health and Justice/Judicial Matters to provide stakeholders and citizens the opportunity to make inputs and reviews into the HIV/AIDS Anti-stigma legislation.
Several Memoranda as well as oral presentations were made by the various stakeholders on issues around the Bill.
Aliyu who noted that Public Hearing remains a Constitutional requirement for all proposed legislations, said adherence to the provision as in this case was a further confirmation that the 7th Assembly in the state was well capacitated.
He said that the House of Assembly under the Speakership of Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf, had capacity and was in tune with the yearnings and aspirations of the citizens especially the most vulnerable in the society.
“We wish to appreciate his democratic predisposition of ensuring that the voices of the people are heard in laws that affect them. This is what good governance should be about.
We also wish to appreciate the Chairmen of the Committees on Health and Justice for their efforts at bring about this engagement”, he said.
Present at the Pubic Hearing were the Speaker and his Deputy, Rt Hon. Comfort Nwuchiola Egwuaba; chairmen of the House Committees on Justice and Judicial matters, and Health, Hon. Halidu Usman Adejo (APC-Idah) and Hon. Ochidi Usman Shehu, (APC-Dekina/Biraidu).
Also in attendance were representatives from HIV/AIDS Patient communities (People Living with HIV and AIDS organizations), CISHAN, AONN, KONGONET, KOSACA, Kogi Justice Ministry, Office of the Public Defender and Citizens Rights and JNI among others. (Ends)