Reps Vote N250bn For NDDC …‘State Of Nation Address’ Bill Passes 2nd Reading In Senate

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Engr Tele Ikuru (left) conferring with the Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Gininwa, during the council’s Quarterly General Meeting, in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

The House of Representatives, yesterday, passed the 2012 budget of N250 billion for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The breakdown of the budget revealed that N17 billion was approved for recurrent expenditure, while capital expenditure got N233 billion.

Earlier, Rep. Nicholas Mutu (PDP-Delta), the Chairman, House Committee on NDDC, said that if approved, the budget would enhance the operations of the commission.

Meanwhile, the House has urged the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), to complete the rehabilitation of the Zaria- Soba-Pambegwa-Jos Road to pave way for smooth transportation.

The resolution followed a motion by Rep. Ibrahim Mustapha (CPC-Kaduna), which was unanimously adopted without debate.

Mustapha said that the road remained the major route of transportation for agricultural and essential goods in the area.

He noted that since the road was constructed in 1976, it had never gone through any maintenance or rehabilitation in spite of its daily heavy traffic.

The legislator said that an attempt to rehabilitate the road by FERMA was abandoned after the agency dug pot holes on it.

“The dugout portions have further worsened the state of the road, thereby causing accidents, daily loss of lives and property,” he observed.

He added that armed robbers had continued to carryout operations on a daily basis due to the deteriorating nature of the road.

Meanwhile, the Bill for an Act to make provision for the State of the Nation Address by the President passed through second reading on the floor of the Senate.

The Bill sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba seeks to provide for a law that would mandate a sitting President to present mid-year review of the administration’s policy thrust.

Leading the debate on the proposal, Ndoma-Egba said there was the need for a law to mandate the President to make a speech explaining his visions and plans for the country.

He said the Bill would provide for an annual State of the Nation Address, distinct from the annual budget speech, was in line with convention in most democratic countries.

“The idea is to take stock of the nation, the country and its condition, the government and its performance, the people and their wellbeing.

“Most of the advanced and emerging democracies around the world have entrenched this in their governance process even as a constitutional obligation.

“We shall therefore, be adding to our process of national governance some real value, passing this bill,” he said.

Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP- Bauchi) observed that it was of utmost national importance for a President to articulate the promises he made to the people and the prospects that were achieved.

He urged the Bill to also provide that the President’s address should not be political or partisan slant.

“It is important when a sitting President comes out to truly express the reasons behind certain policies and their level of implementation.

“There has to be provision that the President’s address should not be given a political tone. The President is leader for the entire country and as such his address should not be partisan,” he advised.

Similarly, Sen. Bbajide Omowurare (ACN-Osun) reiterated the need for the law to ensure that the State of the Nation Address is devoid of partisanship.

He added that it would give Nigerians the opportunity to know the President’s policy thrust and to know government’s position on every issue.

Senator Ita Enang (PDP-Akwa Ibom) said, if passed into law, the issues that led to resolutions of the National Assembly would be drastically reduced.

“It would keep the government alert and reduce some miscommunications. Most of the issues that we’ve been passing resolutions would be reduced to the minimum.

“The President should sign this bill as soon as it gets to him because the nation has nothing to lose,” Enang said.

Senator Bukar Abba (ANPP-Yobe) said the Bill would afford Nigerians the opportunity of hearing the President’s views on issues rather than the current situation where his aides contradict themselves.

“With this Bill, Nigerians would be able to hear more directly from the President than the current situation where Ministers make contradictory comments on national issues.”

In his ruling on the Bill, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over Thursday’s Plenary, said the Nigerian people deserved to know how their leaders performed.

“Those that are being governed deserve to know how they were being governed. Section 67 of the Constitution does not make it mandatory.

“So we are seeking to make it mandatory for the President to give a State of the Nation Address. We believe that the President would sign the Bill in to law

“The Presidential Adviser had advised us on the appropriate thing to do, whenever the President refuses to assent to a law passed by the National Assembly,” he stressed.

The Bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs for further legislative action and report back within two weeks.

Senate’s deliberation on the Bill is in concurrence with the House of Representatives, which had earlier passed the Bill.