AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Nigeria Association of Social Workers has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for giving assent to the National Council for Social Work Establishment Bill 2022.
NASoW also expressed gratitude to the National Assembly for passing the bill into law.
The association, in a statement signed by its President, Alhaji Mashood Mustapha, made available by its Public Relations Officer, Musliudeen Adebayo, indicated that the president signed the Bill into law on Tuesday 6th December, 2022.
Record shows that the Senate passed the Bill for president’s assent on Tuesday, 28th June, 2022.
According to the association, the signing of the bill into law would go a long way in strengthening social work practice in the country.
The statement read that the law would help to regulate social work practice in Nigeria the way it is done in other countries of the world.
It read that “The law is a major achievement of the 9th National Assembly and President Buhari because it will help to legalise social work practice in the country through an act of parliament.
“The new law will recognise the establishment of the National Council for Social Work that would be controlled by the government.
“We commend, applaud and salute President Muhammadu Buhari for assenting the National Council for Social Work Establishment Bill (2022). We also commend the National Assembly over the passage of the Bill into law.
“The new law seeks to establish the National Council for Social Work that would regulate social work practice in Nigeria and the Council’s activities will be regulated by a governing body that will be appointed by the Federal Government
“The council, among other things, shall promote professional practice and uphold Social Work ethics and values.
“The Council shall determine what standards of knowledge and skills are to be attained by persons seeking to become member of the profession of social work and review those standards from time to time as circumstances demand.
“Across the globe, social workers perform various functions to individuals, families, groups, communities and organisations who are in distress, the homeless, persons with disabilities, aged, the sick, the mentally ill, juvenile, and children and Nigeria should not be an exception.
“Social workers are found in hospitals, family courts, schools, police formations, rehabilitation centres, correctional facilities, old people homes, NGOs, civil society organisations among others providing psychosocial support, emotional support and counseling for individuals and groups to overcome their social problems so as to realize their potentials and function effectively in their societies.
“These roles cannot be performed by social workers effectively without a regulatory framework. The law is the regulatory framework that will regulate, legalise, monitor and control the activities of social workers in the country the way it is done in other countries.”
