Lawmaker Gbajabiamila reveals why lawmakers copied Singaporean Act to draft infectious disease bill

The House of Representatives lawmaker, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has justified copying from Singaporean law to draft the infectious disease bill submitted for the consideration in the House.

Gbajabiamila who made this known in Zoom meeting organised by Elombah Communications / Njenje Media Ltd represented by his Special Assistant, Research and Public Policy, Dubem Okadigbo Moghalu, explained that plagiarism is not known in the legislative drafting, adding the allegation of plagiarism is intended only to arise certain passion.

The Conference was titled, ” Covid-19 and the proposed Vaccination Bill: Implications for Nigeria.”

He explained that when you want to achieve a particular objective through passage Act Parliament, it is a common norm practice to look for other jurisdiction that has achieved what you intend to achieve.

He said, “I need it to be clear for who are on this platform that at the moment the Language of plagiarism that has been used in relation to this bill is simply incendiary, and it is intended only to arise certain passion. Plagiarism is not known in legislative drafting.

“When you want to achieve a particular objective, the first thing you will need to do is to ask yourself is there any other jurisdiction that has achieved what you intend to achieve, if is yes, the next thing is how did they achieve it in the written text and you will take that written text and take it as a foundation for developing your own legislation and you will make whatever improvement you need to make so that it will be more suites to your local context.

“We have not given the Director General, power to act on his own outside of norms, we are simply giving him power that comes into effect subject to declaration of public health emergency by the President.”

He said that the power to arrest without warrant of arrest is already in existing law in the Administration of Criminal Justice adding that there is no difference between the existing law and what is being proposed in the bill.