SENATOR ODUAH'S BILL ON PERSONAL INFORMATION PASSES SECOND READING

In todays plenary, two Bills sponsored by our indefatigable Senator Stella Oduah, OON scaled through Second and First Reading in Senate. The Bill that passed Second Reading is:

i.                    A BILL FOR AN ACT TO PROMOTE THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION PROCESSED BY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BODIES; TO INTRODUCE INFORMATION PROTECTION PRINCIPLES SO AS TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROCESSING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS, 2017 (SB.310)

In her lead debate today, she stated that the Bill is to deal with personal data which relates to data subjects. She said the Bill sets out to provide for matters which are important to provide a framework of certainty, fairness and sanctions related to data that are consistent with a just and democratic society like Nigeria.

She opined that marriages, relationships have been broken and lost due to infringement on one’s privacy without proper authorization.

Continuing, she said,

“In a Digital society, all information systems have considerable legal significance when processing  information about people that is ordinary citizens. Data Protection guards the sacred precincts of personal life. The Data Protection Bill is therefore being enacted to protect us, our privacy and our data.”

She concluded by saying that modern technology has made access to various forms of information easy and at a very high speed. Such data, when put in the wrong hands could cause huge damage to someone’s personality and records. Hence, the need to protect the right of individual to privacy and abuse of his/her personal information through legislation.

Also today, her Bill on:

INVESTMENT ASSURANCES

Was read the First time today at the upper chambers.

Compliments of the season everyone!

Merci!