You're Kidding Yourself If You Think Your Information Is Safe Over The Phone - Parliament To Approve "Spy Bill"

Parliament is ready to approve the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunication Messages, a bill popular known as "Spy bill". Many believe too much authority will be given to government if the bill is passed into law. The government can and will have access to every data or information on your phone - be it messages, phone calls or whatever.

There has been a great deal of debate about this bill. Supporters believe that the "Spy Bill" will keep us safe and discourage terrorist attacks. Detractors argue that the "Spy Bill" will give too much authority to government with no respect to a person's privacy - they believe this is not lawful and needs to be stricken!

Will the government in the name of security take away our freedom? I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.

The Speaker in his closing remarks in Parliament for the end of the First Meeting, 2016 said;

" As speaker of Parliament, I am fully aware of the provisions in Article 18 of the 1992 constitution and other enactments which guarantees the protection of a person's right to privacy including non-interference in his correspondence, or communication except in a free, fair democratic society for public safety and economic well being of the country as well as for the prevention and crime. What is useful in considering this bill is for the august House to navigate the fine contours on the populace's constitutional legislative needs to establish a delicate balance between the individual's right to privacy vi-sa-vi the rights of the public to live in safe and secured environment devoid of fear and crime.

I would like to reiterate my commitment and that of the leadership of this House to assuring that in addition to pre-legislative steps that has already been taken, this House will carry out its task of scrutinizing the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages Bill, 2015, in an open and transparent manner so that all stakeholders and members of the public will be given an opportunity with our rules to raise issues of concern and make input to the work of the House so that we can have a satisfactory and wholesome legislation on the prevention and suppression of crime in the national interest "