Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan

A group of professional and trained Social Workers across the country under the aegis of Forum of Concerned Professional and Trained Social Workers in Nigeria (FCPTSWN), has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, to sign Nigerian Council for Social Work (Establishment) Bill 2017, which he earlier refused to assent to some weeks ago.  

The group, in a petition addressed to the President and made available to journalists in Ibadan, by its spokesperson, Mr. Musliudeen Adebayo, said the bill which has been passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly, when assented to by the President will serve as one of his major achievements "because it will address various socioeconomic and political problems militating against the existence of Nigeria and its people". 

While calling on Nigerians to support it in ensuring that "Nigerian Council of Social Work (Establishment) Bill 2017" is signed  by the President without further delay, FCPTSWN lamented that it was surprised that some elements under the guise of Institute of Social Work of Nigeria (ISWON), are sponsoring another bill "Chartered institute of social work practitioners", which is not only in conflict with the existing bill but tends to cause confusion. 

The group while pledging its support to Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW), the umbrella body of Social Workers in the country, NASWE, AMSWON and other relevant bodies in kicking against what it called a broad day robbery on the profession of Social Work, noted that the bill introduced by ISWON would not only regulate, control and relegate the profession of social work and its practitioners, it will make Social Workers in the country, NASOW, NASWE and AMSWON among other bodies irrelevant because, ISWON, by the provision of the proposed bill will be the only body controlling Social Work and its practitioners in Nigeria.  

In the petition, copies of which were sent to the Vice President, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Director General, Department of State Service, Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, International Federation of Social Workers among others, it appealed to those in positions of authorities to prevail on the National Assembly especially the House of Representatives to stop further work on the bill introduced by Mr Sylvester Ogbaga (Abakaliki/Izzi, Ebonyi State) which would be in conflict with Nigerian Council of Social Work bill.   

FCPTSWN while calling on Social Workers across the country to resist any attempt to subject them to antics and plans of ISWON to silence them, urged NASoW to call a meeting that will be open to all interested members as a way of finding lasting solutions and provide ways to which the Council bill would be sign and put a stop to the conflicting bill introduced by ISWON which can only relegate them to the background, should it allowed to be passed.  

It then called attention of relevant bodies to a planned meeting slated for this week in Abuja which has been postponed, noting with concern that such meeting should not be a 20, 25 or 30 man meeting but the one that will be encompasing; open to all members because such a meeting where future of Social Work and Social Workers is to be decided should not be left in the hands of some few individuals. 

The group further maintained that despite threats from some individuals and groups to truncate its efforts in rescue Social Work from hands of usurpers, it  will not rest on its oars to ensure that such injustice on the profession and the professionals is not allowed to stand. 

While calling on relevant agencies, including security agencies, to give its petition the necessary consideration it deserved, the group urged the House of Representatives to stop further reading on the bill targeted to sabotage the age long efforts of social workers in Nigeria in ensuring that Nigerian Council for Social Work (Establishment) Bill 2017 see the light of the day.