Ekweremadu denies proposing to legalise prostitution

Source: pointblanknews.com

 
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu on Sunday denied sponsoring a Bill in the Senate to legalise prostitution in the country.

Ekweremadu told journalists at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, that the report attributed to him was an attempt by some mischievous people to distract the National Assembly from its statutory functions.

``I think this is total mischief by some mischievous people; you know there is no Bill before the Senate, there is none before the entire National Assembly and nobody is talking about legalising prostitution.

``I don't know where they got that from but like I said, that this is the beauty of democracy. So, people are entitled to say whatever they want to say, otherwise you will just get distracted,'' he said.

On the planned removal of fuel subsidy, the Deputy Senate President called for the sensitisation of Nigerians about the proposal, saying that some cabals were holding the country hostage.

``I think it is a very sensitive matter to handle; there is absolute need for the refineries to be up and running. So, we really need to fix our refineries before the subsidy is removed.

``The Federal Government need to publish the names of all those who are infringing.... because it is just a handful of people who are milking us dry and we cannot continue in that manner,” he said.

Ekweremaduadded that it was necessary to publish the names of those who were holding the country to ransom on oil, just like the Federal Government did during the restructuring of banks.

Meanwhile, some clerics in Lagos on Sunday said Nigeria has more pressing needs than wasting energy on whether to legalise prostitution or not.

Monsignor Gabriel Osu, Director of Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that legalising prostitution was not Nigeria's priority for now.

``Prostitution is not our problem for now, our problem is bad education, bad morals, bad human management, that has even led so many people into prostitution and doing drugs,” he said.

Osuurged Nigeria's lawmakers to face the reality and give Nigerians good governance, good education and good moral upbringing to minimise prostitution.

NAN reports that the Deputy Senate President, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, has, however, explained that he did not suggest legalising prostitution during a debate on Human Trafficking in the Senate on Oct. 5.

.“Prostitution is not even fashionable, our custom and tradition does not encourage it, but a product of systemic failure in the society.

“Prostitution is not something that should be glamorised, scripturally, it is condemnable and we say no to it,” Osu said.

Pastor Tunde Adebayo of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, told NAN that there were more important issues for the Senate to attend to than legalising prostitution, considering the level of moral degradation in the country currently.

“We live in a country where morals have really gone to the winds; it is not in the best interest of this country for prostitution to be legalised.

“I don't think it's in our best interest; what should be concerning us right is how to change the orientation of our youths, to the best.

“Are you now saying if we legalise prostitution, we are going to legalise abortion? Because, both of them work hand in hand! What do we stand to gain in idle girls and women selling their bodies at every nooks and crannies,” he added.

The cleric said that God abhor prostitution, adding that the legislators should concern themselves with important issues that will be beneficial to the country.

(NAN)