By Sunday Aborisade
No fewer than 40 out of the 48 bills so far passed by the Ahmad Lawan-led 9th Senate, are awaiting either the presidential assent, or the House of Representatives’ concurrence, Saturday PUNCH investigation has revealed.
Also, no fewer than 160 out of 287 bills passed by the Bukola Saraki-led 8th Senate were not given assent by the President, according to findings by Sunday PUNCH.
A summary of bills in the 9th Senate as of Wednesday May 5, 2021, obtained exclusively by our correspondent on Friday, revealed that the red chamber had so far introduced 717 bills, since its inauguration in June 2019.
Out of the figure, 130 bills are at various committee stages, 43 are awaiting second reading, 370 had been read for the first time, 126 are awaiting first reading, while 48 had been passed.
While the House of Representatives had concurred to some of the proposed legislation and sent them for the assent of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), others are still awaiting the green chambers’ concurrence.
The breakdown further showed that the 9th Senate, in its first session, passed 13 bills between June 2019 and June 2020 while it passed 35 bills in its second session between June 2020 till date.
Some of the bills passed and already got presidential assents so far include, the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
They also included the Finance Bill 2020, the Nigeria Police Bill 2020, the Amended Banking Bill 2020, the amendments to the Company and Allied Matters Act Bill 2020.
Major bills receiving legislative attention at the various committees of the red chamber included the Electoral Act amendment Bill, and the Petroleum Industry Bill.
A bill sponsored by the Senator representing Oyo South, Kola Balogun, seeking to ban open grazing in the country, has not been listed for first reading.
The Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2019 amended the provisions of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act 2004
The DOIBPSCA is aimed at shoring up Nigeria’s revenue earnings from oil and gas.
Also, on December 31, 2020, the President signed the Finance Bill, 2020 (now Finance Act) into law.
The Finance Act, 2020, which has a commencement date of January 1, 2021, was signed into law alongside the 2021 Appropriation Bill (now Appropriation Act).
Buhari had earlier signed the Nigeria Police Bill 2020 into law.
The President, in a memo dated September 16, 2020, communicated his assent to the Bill to the National Assembly, through the Clerk to the federal parliament, Olatunde Ojo.
The Act repealed the Police Act Cap. P19. Laws of the Federation, 2004, and provides for a more effective and well organised Police Force, driven by the principles of transparency and accountability in its operations and management of its resources.
Among others, the Act establishes an appropriate funding framework for the police in line with what is obtainable in other Federal Government key institutions.
It enhances professionalism in the Force through increased training opportunities…
