The Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW), has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the National Council for Social Work [Establishment] Bill 2022 into law.

The association noted that the law formally legalises social work practice in the country.

The association made these disclosures via a statement signed by its President, Alhaji Mashood Mustapha, a copy of which was made available to journalists on Thursday through the Public Relations Officer of the association, Mr. Musliudeen Adebayo.

The association confirmed in the statement that Buhari had, on Tuesday, signed the National Council for Social Work [Establishment] Bill 2022 into law.

It was gathered that bill had earlier been passed into law by the National Assembly. The Senate on Tuesday, 28th June 2022, passed the Bill into law.

The association said that signing of the bill into law would strengthen social work practice in the country, saying that the law will help to regulate the practice in Nigeria the way it is done in other countries of the world.

Mustapha, while commending Buhari and the National Assembly for a good job, explained that the association has been clamouring for the bill’s passage over two decades ago.

He said 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.

He added that the new law will recognise the establishment of the National Council for Social Work that the government would control.

Mustapha said, “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, according to the law 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”.

The National President while speaking further enumerated various roles of social workers in the country, saying that these roles will be done effectively now that the law has been signed.

“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”.

[Daily Trust]