The Senate has clarified that the proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Commission Establishment Act, 2007, does not introduce a fresh ban on preaching or hawking in commercial vehicles, describing claims to that effect as misleading.
The upper chamber said the prohibition has existed in Nigerian law since the enactment of the FRSC Act in 2007 and is further backed by Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Office of the Senate Leader, the Senate explained that the ongoing amendment merely renumbered the provision from Item 36 to Item 49 in the Second Schedule to the Act.
It stressed that the legislation was aimed at promoting road safety and protecting commuters, not restricting religious activities or street preaching.
“It is about the safety of commuters and other road users and is not intended to undermine any religious activity in the public space,” the statement read.
The Senate also refuted reports linking the amendment bill to the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, stating that the legislation originated from the House of Representatives and is before the Senate as a concurrence bill in line with constitutional procedures.
It urged members of the public and other stakeholders with concerns over the bill to participate in the legislative process by submitting their views before its passage.
The Senate reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and public engagement, maintaining that the amendment seeks to strengthen road safety regulations rather than create new restrictions on religious expression.
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