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Senate clarifies preaching, hawking ban in road safety bill amendment
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Senate clarifies preaching, hawking ban in road safety bill amendment

From Vanguard · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • The Nigerian Senate has clarified the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Act amendment, stating that preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles are already offenses under the 2007 Act and 2012 regulations.
  • Senator Opeyemi Bamidele's office explained that the amendment, which is still ongoing and requires Senate concurrence, does not outlaw street preaching but aims to ensure commuter safety.
  • The Senate emphasized that the bill is a concurrence bill from the House of Representatives and encouraged stakeholders to voice concerns before the amendment process concludes.

The Nigerian Senate has moved to clarify public concerns regarding the ongoing amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Act. Specifically, the Senate addressed claims that the bill, which is undergoing amendment to the 2007 Act, would outlaw preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles.

pursuant to Section 10(4) of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007 and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR) 2012), preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are offences.

— Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, Office of the Leader of the SenateClarifying existing laws under the FRSC Act.

In a statement released by the office of the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, it was explained that preaching and hawking in commercial vehicles are already offenses under existing legislation. These offenses are listed in the Act as far back as 2007 and are currently Item 36 in the Second Schedule, with the amendment proposing to list them as Item 49.

The offences have been part of the Act before the current amendment. Entrenched as Item 36 in the Second Schedule of the Act, preaching and hawking in a commercial vehicle are not new provisions in our legal system. The provisions have been part of the Act as far back as 2007. However, it is now listed as Item 49, Second Schedule of the Act.

— Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, Office of the Leader of the SenateExplaining the history and current status of the offenses within the Act.

The Senate stressed that the amendment is not intended to undermine religious activities but is focused on ensuring the safety of commuters and other road users. The statement also clarified that the bill is not an initiative solely by Senator Bamidele but a concurrence bill from the House of Representatives, requiring Senate approval to become law. The amendment process is still active, and the Senate invited stakeholders to submit their concerns through appropriate channels before its completion.

The Bill, therefore, does not outlaw preaching on the streets as some interests have claimed in different fora. It is about the safety of commuters and other road users and not intended to undermine any religious activity in the public space.

— Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, Office of the Leader of the SenateAddressing public claims about the bill's intent.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Vanguard in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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