By Africa 24 news

The Chief Whip of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) in Parliament, Hon. Dickson Rogers, has informed members on both side of the aisle in Parliament that “the Child Right Act Bill brought to Parliament by the Minister of Social Welfare is a death trap for us in 2028.”

According to Hon. Dickson Rogers the bill tends to ban traditional society and also saying no more licenses for both male and female traditional societies.

“The Presidential appointees are just taking Parliament as job for the boys. For a minister to come with a bill without consultation with MPs is insulting as parliament in the first place and it is a disservice to MPs,” Hon Rogers frowned.

The Chief Whip said he had held several meetings with his chiefs and other traditional leaders and they said such a bill which has to do with national traditions of people must be rejected and thrown out of parliament.

In his submissions, the deputy opposition leader in parliament, Hon Daniel Koroma, informed parliament that the section that has to do with traditional practices must be gotten rid off in the bill.

He said posterity will tell on them. Adding that anything that has to do with the right of a child is what the bill seeks to address.

Hon Koroma said the object of the bill is not FGM and if there is anything that has to do with FGM law let it be prepared and brought to parliament.

“We value our traditional practices. Marriage is our traditions and customs.

Customs and traditions remain intact.”

“The right of passenger should not be criminalized,” he said.

Hon Koroma emphasized that let the traditions happen to someone or to anybody who is aware of what will going to happen to her.

He stressed that parliament will not go ban FGM by any means but will scrutinize the bill and make it child friendly bill.

The President of the female Caucus in West Africa Parliament, Hon Dr Veronica Kadie Sesay said in as much as the bill is geared towards for the protection of a child right it is a good to go into the nitigrity of the bill by parliament.

She said she expect the initiators and chiefs and other stakeholders to be present in parliament holding placards in support of the bill.

“We frown at the consultation. We MPs have not be consulted on the formulation of the bill and MPs are the true voices of the people as MPs we should serve as there evidence,” she stated.

Hon Sesay said the work should have been easy if MPs are involved and engaged like the Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill, revealing that the First Lady engaged MPs.

“We don’t want to Morgaged our culture. If they as MPs were part of the consultation it would have been easy” she ended.

The Deputy Leader of government business in parliament who doubles as the MP from Bo District, Hon Bashiru Silikie has pointed out that the bill before parliament is not a law.

He said there is no law before parliament that has ban traditional practices, adding that there is a law that prohibits performing FGM on below age 18 years.

He said parliament will look at the bill and scrutinized it and they are not in any way ban any society in the country.

The Bill, however, seeks to repeal and replace the Child Right Act,2007 (Act No.7 2007).

It seeks to make provisions for the promotion of the right and responsibilities of children and the obligation of the state to provide for such rights as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Right and Welfare of Children.

And to provide for other related matters.

Moreover, the bill has been committed to the legislative committee for further scrutiny.