- resolves on Institute for Legislative Studies and Research Bill 2020
Published By Olanrewaju Adesanya
The Lagos State House of Assembly has kick started moves to halt incessant data pillaging of both companies and individual’s private information, which is largely crippling the economy, as State Data Protection Bill passed through second reading.
Presenting the bill at plenary on Monday, Hon. Lanre Afinni, representing Lagos Island 2 explained that the objective is meant to monitor data processor to foil further manipulation of data.
The Bill which was read for the second time is titled: “A Bill for a Law to promote the protection of personal information processed by public and private bodies, establish minimum requirements for the processing and protection of personal information, establish the Data Protection Commission and for other connected purposes.”
The Chairman of the house committee on Science and Technology Hon. Afinni said further that an individual must give consent before his or her information is released to the public. “This bill will help to protect the human rights of our people,” Afinni said.
In his contribution, Hon. Femi Saheed (Kosofe 2) said that if the bill is passed into law it would reduce cyber crime and protect both the data of both public and private companies.
“If the bill is enacted into law cyber crime activities will be checked, it will protect private and public sector data, distortion and tampering with data will be stalled and this will increase robust achiave for easy access to reliable data which will also enhance our economic potentials. People will want to put data in our care” he said.
Hon. Rotimi Abiru, representing Shomolu Constituency 2, was a bit sceptical about the fall out of COVID 19 pandemic which dealt a devastating blow on the business space, he queried the idea of another revenue generation source for the state, calling for caution on the hardship this might pose on the economic wellbeing of business entrepreneurs.
In his contribution, Hon. Abiodun Tobun (Epe 1) said that the bill was apt because of the need to keep up with the trend of technological advancement, he also cited the merit of the innovative bill.
“The bill will prevent fraud and transferring of information without the consent of the owner,” he said.
Hon. Ibrahim Layode, representing Badagry Constituency 1 was of the opinion that instead of creating another Commission with a role similar to that of Lagos State Registration Agency (LASRA) could take up the responsibility.” I see it as a waste of time and resources if we create another Commission for this purpose,” he said.
On his part, Chairman of the House Committee on Information and Strategy, Hon. David Setonji said that he was apprehensive about the section of the bill that was about human rights, and urged the committee to look at this critically.
He also cited section 11 of the bill where one million naira was expressly stated as infringement penalty, he counselled that this may further encourage compromise as the worth of the data might far outweigh the penalty, which gives the perpetrators basis to dare.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa subsequently committed the bill to the House Committees on Science and Technology headed by Hon. Lanre Afinni, to report back to the House in two weeks.
Meanwhile the House also made a resolution on the Lagos Staate Legislative Studies and Research Institute Bill,2020 after taking a detailed report of the Joint Committee on Education and Tertiary institutions given by Hon. Sanni Okanlawon, Chairman, House Committee on Education (Ministry); after much deliberation the recommendations of the Joint Committee was adopted as the resolution of the House.
