Nigerian Social Workers Celebrate ISWD, Appeal For Passage of Council Bill

From Musliudeen Adebayo

The Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW), the umbrella body of Social Workers across the country has appealed to the National Assembly to send back the “The Nigerian Council for Social Work Establishment Bill 2017” to President Muhammad Buhari for his assent since the needful has been done. 
NASoW National President, Alhaji Mashood Mustapha made this appeal though his presidential message during the celebration of the International Social Work Day, with the theme, “Promoting Importance of Human Relationships” held across the country last Tuesday. 
Our correspondent gathered that every 19th of March has been reserved by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), the umbrella body of all Social Workers across the globe as International Social Work day which is being celebrated by Social Workers across the universe including those in Nigeria.
In their bid to join their counterparts across the globe to mark the day, Social Workers from Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, FCT, Plateau, Cross Rivers, Edo, Bauchi,  Osun, Anambra, Ondo, Jigawa among others organised lectures, seminars and provided humanitarian services for members of the public with a call in unison on the national assembly and President Buhari to pass the long awaited council bill. 
Mustapha in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital by the National Public Relations Officer (PRO), of the association, Mr. Musliudeen Adebayo appealed to members of the National Assembly to “please send back the Nigerian Council For Social Work Bill to President Muhammad Buhari for his assent since the needful has been done”. 
He insisted that “the bill when assented to, would promote competence and integrity in social work practice in the country”. 
It will be recalled that Social Work regulatory bill titled “A BILL FOR AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE NIGERIAN COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL WORK TO REGULATE THE PRACTICE OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK IN NIGERIA AND FOR OTHER RELATED MATTERS, was passed by the House of Representatives in 2016 and transmitted to the Senate, thereafter passed in 2017 by the Senate.
Mustapha said, “Today is the World  Social Work Day. I thank you all for keeping hope alive. The theme for this year is “Promoting the importance of Human Relationships. 
“It cannot come at a better time than now in our quest to provide the greater good to the greater number through our established methods and institutionalised roles. This dynamic interaction of emotion and attitude is the soul of our casework, a core value that is based on love, empathy, trust, endurance, dedication, commitment, and honesty. Good human relationships enhances creativity and good health, knowing fully well that the best thing to hold onto in life is each other.                       
“The Nigeria Association of Social Workers has openly demonstrated this, we have shown our readiness to work with others, at the same time, we have also made it abundantly clear without any ambiguity that the supremacy of NASOW is not negotiable. 
“On this, we are appealing to the conscience of all private social work institutes and organizations and their agents provocateurs in NASOW to exercise restraints in the interest of what is good and noble, and in the interest of good human relationships in order  not to put social work profession into disrespect and disrepute. 
“They should allow their Super- ego to control the pleasurable, exploitative, and materialistic instincts of id. Our profession is greater than individuals.        
“Finally, I call on the National Assembly to please send back the Nigerian Council For Social Work Bill to President Muhammad Buhari for his assent since the needful has been done. The bill when assented to, would promote competence and integrity in social work practice in the country”. 
Here are some of the pictures from Social Work day celebrations.