A bill which seeks to impose stiffer sanction on the breach of the provisions of the Currency Conversion (Freezing Orders) Act Cap. C43 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 Act has been gazetted for Second Reading on the floor of House of Representatives on resumption from the annual recess.
The bill was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Ahmed Wase, seeks to “give discretionary powers to the Judge of a High Court, to order forfeiture of assets of affected person; and for related matters
According to the bill compiled by our correspondent, the proposed legislation seeks to amend Section 9 (1) of the Principal Act by substitution for the phrase the President may in his discretion direct that in line 2, the phrase, the judge of a High Court may after hearing the parties direct that.
It also seeks to expunge Section 9(2) of the Principal Act.
According to the Explanatory Memorandum of the bill, the proposed legislation seeks to amend the Currency Conversion (Freezing Orders) Act Cap. C43 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to give discretionary powers to the Judge of a High Court, to order forfeiture of assets of affected person.
Other bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker that have been gazetted for second reading include: ‘Public Accounts Implementation Tribunal (Amendment) bill, Federal Commissions (Privileges & Immunities) amendment bill, Miscelleneous Offences Act (Repeal) bill, National Institute for Sports Act (Establishment) bill and Federal University of Agriculture, Wase (Establishment) bill.
Four other bills sponsored by Hon. Wase that are currently referred to the Committee of the Whole are: National Housing Fund (Establishment) bill, Nigeria Football Federation bill, National Sports Commission bill and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) bill, while the Federal University Gashua bill has been assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In the same vein, the House is also expected to commence debate on the general principles of a bill which seeks to amend the Federal Character Commission (Establishment etc) Act Cap. F7 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 by giving the Commission additional powers to enable it discharge its functions more effectively; and for related matters.
The bill sponsored by Hon. Ahmed Idris specifically seeks to amend Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 of the Principal Act.
As proposed by the Deputy Speaker, the bill seeks to amend the provisions of Section 2 by amending subsection 1a, by inserting the words and accounting officer immediately after the word Executive.
It also seeks to amend Section 4(1a), by substituting for the word President in line 1 the words National Assembly or the State House of Assembly, as the case may be, in subsection (2), by inserting immediately after the existing paragraph (j) a new paragraph (k) to enforce the federal character guidelines and formulae in any company in which the Federal, State or Local Governments has at least 40% shareholding interest.”
The proponent of the bill also seeks to provide a new subsections (5 and 7 which provides that: “The approval required to be made by the National or State House of Assembly, as the case may be, under this section and elsewhere in this Bill shall be by a simple majority vote of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives or State House of Assembly present and voting in their respective chambers.
In exercising its powers under section 4(1) (a) of this Act, the Commission shall have regard for the need to ensure gender equity and the need for fair representation of the physically challenged person.
For the purposes of section 4(1d & i) of this Act, the annual budgetary proposals by any Ministry, Extra-Ministerial Department or agency for the provision of socio-economic services, amenities and infrastructural facilities shall be made in consultation with the Commission.
Hon. Wase also proposed the amendment of Section 5(1) by inserting immediately after the existing paragraph (c) a new paragraph (cc) suspend, cancel or set aside any recruitment exercise, process or distribution of amenities being carried out by any Ministry, Extra-Ministerial Department, agency or any company in which the government has 40% shareholding interest where such recruitment was conducted in a manner inconsistent or in contravention with any guideline or formula worked out by the Commission and approved by the National or State House of Assembly.
The bill also seeks to empower the Commissin to institute investigations, summon and to interrogate any officer of the institution or organization connected with the subject matter of the investigation.
Hon. Wase also proposed amendment to Section 15(1, 2), by substituting N50,000 to N250,000; and increase the initial N100,000 to N2,500,000.
The bill also seeks to amend section 16A which provides that: Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 14 and 15, the Commission may seek for an order of injunction, mandamus, certiorari, or prohibition from any High Court to enforce compliance with any guideline and formula, directive, circular or instruction issued by it under this Act.
Meanwhile the Deputy Speaker has applauded Preident Muhammadu Buhari for signing into the law the bill establishing the Federal University, Gashua, Yobe state.
Recall that the president assented to the bill last Friday at the State House, Abuja.
Wase said with the signing of the bill, the university, which has been in existence since 2014 has become a legal entity.
“I am encouraged by the actions of the president in promptly signing this bill into law. This will also serve as an impetus to me and many lawmakers in sponsoring quality Bill’s.
“The signing into law of this bill is a clear indication that era whereby Bill’s were left unattended after being passed by the National Assembly “, he stated.
The deputy speaker further noted that Yobe being one of educationally disadvantaged states would benefit immensely from the establishment of the university.
He urged indigenes of the state to take advantage of the university and develop more interest in the pursuit of education, ” which is indispensable in the development of any society”
The Federal University, Gashua is one of the nine universities established by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014, but without an enabling legislation.
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