Wednesday 5 October 2011

Senate President Ike Ekeweremadu Asks Senators To Legalise Prostitution

consider the possibility of
legalising prostitution in the
country.
Speaking during debate on a
motion on the scourge of human
trafficking in the country,
Ekweremadu said since it has
become impossible to stop
prostitution in the land, the
Senate should consider
regulating the act in the country.
According to him “we need to
regulate prostitution in this
country so that if anyone wants
to indulge in prostitution, the
person should be registered and
issued with a license. If we say
we want to stop it, it would be
difficult. It is done in other
countries; let us regulate it by
issuing license.”
Also speaking on the matter,
Senate President David Mark said
it is difficult to stop the act of
prostitution saying “the FCT
administration has been trying to
stop but they are facing stiff
resistance because the
prostitutes have their association
and even their own legal adviser.
It is a reasonably organised bad
profession.”
While debating on the motion
that centred on human
trafficking, several senators
advocated for amendment to the
National Agency for Prohibition
of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)
Act to provide for capital
punishment for those involved in
human trafficking.
The position followed a motion
on the scourge of human
trafficking in the country moved
by Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta
(PDP, Niger East) and 33 other
senators.
In his motion, Kuta said though
NAPTIP is struggling to tackle the
menace of human trafficking in
the country, “the situation has
been on the increase and has
been identified as the world’s
fastest growing criminal
industry, second only to drug
trafficking and fraud.
In his contribution, Senator Uche
Chukwumerije (PDP, Abia) said
“we should upgrade the
punishment for human
trafficking to capital punishment.
Equally to be joined are all the
security personnel that are along
the route where it take place. I
don’t believe that it is happening
without the knowledge of the
security agencies along the entry
and exit points.”
Also commenting, Senator
Mohammed Ali Ndume (PDP,
Borno South) said there is need
for more punitive measures to
end the menace saying “human
trafficking is not only in terms of
export. We have house boys and
girls in the country that don’t
have any future. Most of them are
not even up to the age specified
by law. They work for so many
years and all they get is
commendation without any form
of future.”
On his part, Senator Datti Baba-
Ahmed (CPC, Kaduna North)
expressed worry on the ugly
dimension of human ritual to the
crime of trafficking in persons.
He revealed several instances of
victims kidnapped and used for
‘devil worship’.
After the debate, Senate directed
its committee on judiciary,
human rights and legal matters
to carry out further legislative
action on the matter and report
back to the whole Senate.