Senate rejects skirts for female corps members

A bill seeking to amend the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Act to make trousers optional for female corps members was yesterday rejected at the Senate.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP, Taraba). At the moment all corps members, irrespective of gender and faith, wear trousers.

Twice when the voice votes were raised by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who presided over plenary, majority of senators voted against it.

Ekweremadu, who had earlier said the amendment, was a constitutional matter hit the gavel in favour of those against the move. Quoting section 9(2), Ekweremadu said even if the bill was passed, it had to be referred to State Assemblies.

The bill tagged, “National Youth Service Corp Act CAP N84 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2017, was to amend section 16 of the NYSC Act to enable female corps members wear skirt on their trousers in line with their religion demand.

Leading the debate, Bwacha said the bill was conceived to enable the NYSC directorate take into consideration the need to adopt uniforms that do not violate the religious practice relating to modest dressing.

Senators Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano) and Abubakar Kyari (APC, Borno) supported the bill. They argued that the bill when passed would enable female corps members have options.