By Dangwam Jude Dabee
The Nigerian House of Representatives on Thursday passed 19 Bills at Third Reading, including a landmark Constitution Alteration Bill to establish State Police Services in the country.
The Lawmakers in the Green Chamber gave the legislative package during their plenary session in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Thursday, which also covers major reforms in human rights, national security, financial crimes, healthcare, fisheries, and mining.
According to the House Plenary highlights, the bills passed are aimed at “strengthening national security, tackling financial crimes, expanding healthcare infrastructure, advancing fisheries education, and promoting mining research and development.”
Among the key bills passed by the House of Representative consist of the State Police. A Constitution Alteration Bill “to provide for the establishment of State Police Services.”
Also is the Human Rights Reform where a Bill “to repeal and re-enact the National Human Rights Commission Act, strengthening the Commission’s investigative powers, establishing a National Preventive Mechanism, protecting human rights defenders, and aligning Nigeria’s human rights framework with the Paris Principles.”
Notable among the Bills is also the Security Research Bill “to establish the Department of State Services Research and Development Bureau to enhance research, innovation, and strategic capacity within the Department of State Security Services (DSS).”
Four Bills to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-money laundering, asset recovery, and anti-corruption framework, “including the establishment of the EFCC Institute and amendments to key financial crime laws.”
Two Bills for the Ice and Fisheries “to establish the Brackish Water Fisheries Research Institute and the Federal College of Fisheries Technology and Marine Engineering in Ngo, Rivers State.”
The Healthcare sector also got the knot of the lawmakers as four bills see the light of the day “to establish an Orthopaedic Hospital in Obokun, Osun State; Federal Medical Centres in Monguno, Borno State, and Zuru, Kebbi State; and the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Gusau.”
The Mining sector was not left out especially the mining education as six bills came to limelight “to establish Federal Institutes of Mining and Geosciences across Nasarawa, Cross River, Taraba, Zamfara, Ekiti, and Abia States to strengthen mining education, research, and mineral development.”
Following their passage by the House, the bills are expected to be transmitted to the Senate for concurrence and, where applicable, forwarded for Presidential Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent in accordance with the legislative process.
