Set modalities for NCDC bill public hearing
House of Representatives will in the next few weeks hold a two
day public hearing for the Control of Infectious Disease Bill,
2020, the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila disclosed on Monday.
He said that the public hearing was necessary to uphold
transparency and accountability in the passage of the bill into
law.
The speaker also said that the House will oversight the
disbursement of all monetary donations made by individuals and
organizations to help fight the coronavirus pandemic in the
country.
Gbajabiamila spoke on Monday while receiving some Civil Society
Organizations, CSOs on a courtesy call in his office.
He said that the two days of a public hearing on the infectious
disease control bill will be both physical and open to submission
of memorandum and position papers from members of the public.
Led by Clement Nwankwo, the Executive Director, Policy and Legal
Advocacy Centre (PLAC), the CSOs also had in attendance Auwal Musa
Rafsanjani, Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy
Centre (CISLAC); Mufuliat Fijabi, Chief Executive Officer, Women
Trust Fund and Samson Itodo, Executive Director, Youth Initiative
for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA).
Gbajabiamila said while the House would step up its oversight
responsibility on issues and palliative programmes around Covid-19,
the 9th Assembly’s Legislative Agenda would be rejigged to reflect
the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Speaker also stated that the House would continue to observe
its weekly sitting and add more days where necessary, assuring that
the parliament would also continue to pass critical legislation
during the Covid-19 period.
He said: “On the Control of Infectious Disease Bill, we are
aware that many of the comments it generated are genuine, some were
political and some were clearly based on the misunderstanding of
the bill but we can not ignore any and that is why we are taking it
to the public hearing.
“It is going to be conducted over two days and because we don’t
want to endanger anyone’s life, all the Covid-19 protocols would be
observed in a hall that is supposed to take 300 people, we will
have about 40.
“Those who could not make it the first day would have the
opportunity to be there the second day.
“The public hearing would be physical because this is all about
transparency and accountability. We don’t want to endanger the
lives of Nigerians. It will be beamed live on TV and Radio but
those that can not make it to the public hearing will have the
opportunity of sending their memorandum to the House.
“The Bill that will be passed by the House will be the aggregate
of the submissions of Nigerians”.
Gbajabiamila recalled that the early passage of the first
Economic Stimulus Bill was borne out of the urgency to address the
economic implication of the pandemic on the country
“The Bill is meant to among other things avoid job loss of
Nigerians and to ensure tax relief for Nigerians and their
employees during these times. It also seeks to ensure the
availability of funds for protective materials and sensitive
materials needed by frontline health workers in their line of
duty.
“I’m glad that the people have seen the necessity in the
stimulus initiative which is the work of parliament and if people
observe what is going on around the world, it is the legislature
that designs the economic stimulus, the executive has the
implementing power.
“The Economic Stimulus Bill is essential because it affects the
revenue distribution for the nation, and anything that has to do
with national revenue begins at the National Assembly.
“In a few weeks, we will set up a Post Covid-19 response team,
to look at how we react after the pandemic. The Police Act would be
laid next Tuesday for consideration because to reform the Police is
most necessary.
“We are also working on the codification of the Nigerian Social
Investments Programs so that it is not subject to the discretion of
any officer because that is what obtains in other countries.
“On the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan, we have our work
cut out for us, oversight of the loan and other Covid-19 donations
will be more vigorous,” Gbajabiamila said.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Clement Nwankwo of Policy
and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) commended the Speaker and the
House for rising to the occasion by its many efforts to proffer
solutions for the novel pandemic during and after its outbreak.
“The leadership of the National Assembly has been doing a great
job, first to say is how the House of Representatives has shown
leadership in consultation pertaining the covid-19 era and
particularly taken a lot of positive steps to address some of the
issues of concern.
“Particularly on the fact that the Speaker has sponsored a
couple of Bills, especially the Economy Stimulus Bill, looking at
some of the raised concerns.
“We also appreciate the timeliness in the Bills and hope the
implementation will be as efficient and expedited as the citizens
expect”, he said.
Also speaking, Auwal Rafsanjani, the Executive Director, Civil
Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), urged the House to
ensure effective oversight to checkmate the allegations regarding
the sharing formula of palliatives of the Federal Government.
Samson Itodo, Executive Director, Youth Initiative for Advocacy
Growth and Advancement (YAIGA) also commended the Speaker over the
timeous passage of the Economic Stimulus Bill but expressed concern
that though the House has passed the bill, it was yet to progress
further.
He, however, advised the Senate to expedite action on Bill that
addresses issues concerning the survival of the organized and
informal sectors of the Nigerian economy for its eventual
transmission to the President for assent.
Set modalities for NCDC bill public hearing
House of Representatives will in the next few weeks hold a two
day public hearing for the Control of Infectious Disease Bill,
2020, the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila disclosed on Monday.
He said that the public hearing was necessary to uphold
transparency and accountability in the passage of the bill into
law.
The speaker also said that the House will oversight the
disbursement of all monetary donations made by individuals and
organizations to help fight the coronavirus pandemic in the
country.
Gbajabiamila spoke on Monday while receiving some Civil Society
Organizations, CSOs on a courtesy call in his office.
He said that the two days of a public hearing on the infectious
disease control bill will be both physical and open to submission
of memorandum and position papers from members of the public.
Led by Clement Nwankwo, the Executive Director, Policy and Legal
Advocacy Centre (PLAC), the CSOs also had in attendance Auwal Musa
Rafsanjani, Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy
Centre (CISLAC); Mufuliat Fijabi, Chief Executive Officer, Women
Trust Fund and Samson Itodo, Executive Director, Youth Initiative
for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA).
Gbajabiamila said while the House would step up its oversight
responsibility on issues and palliative programmes around Covid-19,
the 9th Assembly’s Legislative Agenda would be rejigged to reflect
the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Speaker also stated that the House would continue to observe
its weekly sitting and add more days where necessary, assuring that
the parliament would also continue to pass critical legislation
during the Covid-19 period.
He said: “On the Control of Infectious Disease Bill, we are
aware that many of the comments it generated are genuine, some were
political and some were clearly based on the misunderstanding of
the bill but we can not ignore any and that is why we are taking it
to the public hearing.
“It is going to be conducted over two days and because we don’t
want to endanger anyone’s life, all the Covid-19 protocols would be
observed in a hall that is supposed to take 300 people, we will
have about 40.
“Those who could not make it the first day would have the
opportunity to be there the second day.
“The public hearing would be physical because this is all about
transparency and accountability. We don’t want to endanger the
lives of Nigerians. It will be beamed live on TV and Radio but
those that can not make it to the public hearing will have the
opportunity of sending their memorandum to the House.
“The Bill that will be passed by the House will be the aggregate
of the submissions of Nigerians”.
Gbajabiamila recalled that the early passage of the first
Economic Stimulus Bill was borne out of the urgency to address the
economic implication of the pandemic on the country
“The Bill is meant to among other things avoid job loss of
Nigerians and to ensure tax relief for Nigerians and their
employees during these times. It also seeks to ensure the
availability of funds for protective materials and sensitive
materials needed by frontline health workers in their line of
duty.
“I’m glad that the people have seen the necessity in the
stimulus initiative which is the work of parliament and if people
observe what is going on around the world, it is the legislature
that designs the economic stimulus, the executive has the
implementing power.
“The Economic Stimulus Bill is essential because it affects the
revenue distribution for the nation, and anything that has to do
with national revenue begins at the National Assembly.
“In a few weeks, we will set up a Post Covid-19 response team,
to look at how we react after the pandemic. The Police Act would be
laid next Tuesday for consideration because to reform the Police is
most necessary.
“We are also working on the codification of the Nigerian Social
Investments Programs so that it is not subject to the discretion of
any officer because that is what obtains in other countries.
“On the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan, we have our work
cut out for us, oversight of the loan and other Covid-19 donations
will be more vigorous,” Gbajabiamila said.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Clement Nwankwo of Policy
and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) commended the Speaker and the
House for rising to the occasion by its many efforts to proffer
solutions for the novel pandemic during and after its outbreak.
“The leadership of the National Assembly has been doing a great
job, first to say is how the House of Representatives has shown
leadership in consultation pertaining the covid-19 era and
particularly taken a lot of positive steps to address some of the
issues of concern.
“Particularly on the fact that the Speaker has sponsored a
couple of Bills, especially the Economy Stimulus Bill, looking at
some of the raised concerns.
“We also appreciate the timeliness in the Bills and hope the
implementation will be as efficient and expedited as the citizens
expect”, he said.
Also speaking, Auwal Rafsanjani, the Executive Director, Civil
Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), urged the House to
ensure effective oversight to checkmate the allegations regarding
the sharing formula of palliatives of the Federal Government.
Samson Itodo, Executive Director, Youth Initiative for Advocacy
Growth and Advancement (YAIGA) also commended the Speaker over the
timeous passage of the Economic Stimulus Bill but expressed concern
that though the House has passed the bill, it was yet to progress
further.
He, however, advised the Senate to expedite action on Bill that
addresses issues concerning the survival of the organized and
informal sectors of the Nigerian economy for its eventual
transmission to the President for assent.