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Constitution Review: NASS Bows To Govs On LG Autonomy …Directs Clerk To Transmit 35 Bills To Buhari For Assent …27 State Assemblies Okay Amendment Bills
The National Assembly has eaten the humble pie by bowing to the 36 state governors over the refusal of autonomy for local government councils as proposed in the 44 Constitution amendment bills forwarded to state Houses of Assembly for concurrence in March, 2022.
Consequently, the National Assembly has directed its Clerk, Sani Tambuwal, to as a matter of urgency; transmit the 35 bills that have so far met the requirement of the provisions of Section 9(2) of the Constitution to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent in line with the provisions of the Acts’ Authentication Act.
With the forwarding of the 35 bills to Buhari for assent, nine have so far been rejected by the state houses.
Out of the 44 Constitution alteration bills forwarded to state Houses of Assembly for concurrence, only 35 were voted for by 24 out of the 36 state Houses of Assembly.
The complete exclusion of financial and administrative autonomies for local government councils lost out.
Twenty-seven state Houses of Assembly have, however, forwarded their resolutions on 35 constitution amendment bills to the National Assembly, with nine states remaining.
The state Houses of Assembly that were yet to forward their resolutions to the National Assembly are: Gombe, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara.
The National Assembly has also asked the remaining nine state Houses of Assembly that were yet to forward their resolutions on the constitution amendment bills to do so in order to fulfil their constitutionally-imposed legislative obligation.
The resolutions of the Senate, yesterday, were sequel to a motion titled, “Passage of Constitution(Fifth) Alteration Bills, 2023” sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, OvieOmo-Agege(APC, Delta Central) and supported by 65 other senators.
The motion was presented, yesterday, at the Chamber by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator OpeyemiBamidele(APC, Ekiti Central) on behalf of Omo-Agege who, as deputy president of the Senate, chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review.
Recall that the National Assembly had, through Omo-Agege-led joint ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review,last October, lampooned the governors for not allowing the various state assemblies to concur with Constitution amendment proposals for financial and administrative autonomies for the 774 local government councils.
The committee had threatened the governors that it would mobilise the organised labour, particularly local government employees, against the various state governments on the bills for the required concurrence.
The directive that the clerk should forward the bills to Buhari for assent is coming three months after the threat.
Some of the nine bills that failed passage at the state assemblies were: the one that sought for abrogation of the State Joint Local Government Account and provide for a special account into which shall be paid all allocations due local governments from the Federation Account and from the government of the state; and for related matters.
Another bill was the one on the establishment of local government as a tier of government by guaranteeing their democratic existence, tenure; and related matters.
The one that sought for institutionalisation of legislative bureaucracy in the Constitution; and for related matters as well as the one that sought for the inclusion of presiding officers of the National Assembly in the membership of the National Security Council; and for related matters, among others.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
