University ‘ Sex - for -Grades ’ prohibition bill passes in Senate

After the first semester examinations rounded up , a bill prohibiting sexual harassment of students by educators in tertiary educational institutions as a lecturer who numerous rumors about him secretly trading and favoring his students in exchange for sex was forced to resign as it was passed by the senate.
The bill , which was debated on Tuesday , received the endorsement of many lawmakers .
Leading the debate on the bill , Ovie Omo - Agege, a senator from Delta central , argued that sexual harassment was rife in many higher institutions of learning in Nigeria , hence the need for a law outlawing the vice .
He, therefore , urged the senate to support the bill .
“ Sexual harassment is a vice in our higher institutions . We are using this bill to send a message that enough is enough , ” he said .
Also speaking , Theodore Orji , a senator from Abia state, expressed his support for the bill .
“ I believe this bill will do enough in curtailing the vice in our higher institutions , ” he said .
However , Dino Melaye , a senator from Kogi west, while making his contribution, said that sexual harassment was a two- way traffic.
He argued that some students willfully seduce their lecturers with the aim of getting academic favours.
“ I support wholeheartedly that this bill be enacted to stand as deterrent to lecturers who take advantage of female students , ” he said .
“ However , the seductive and provocative dresses of our students who enter offices of lecturers who have no anointing to resist sexual temptation should be discouraged .”
Making her contribution , Stella Oduah, a senator from Anambra north, called for a quick passage of the bill .
“ When you harass these girls you have ruined their lives , ” she lamented .
“ We should encourage an accelerated passage of this bill . ”
In his contribution , Yahaya Aliyu, a senator from Kebbi north, called for a blanket law against sexual harassment, instead of one that is targeted at a section of society .
“ If we are to make laws against sexual harassment we should do it across the board. Targeting one section of society is discriminatory, ” he said .
After listening to the arguments , Senate President Bukola Saraki put the bill to a voice vote to which lawmakers gave their nods .
Afterwards, the senate president referred the bill to the committee on judiciary for more legislative treatment, and directed it to submit its report within four weeks .
The bill has to be read a third time, before it is passed .
Meanwhile , the senate will debate the current status of the Nigerian economy on Wednesday