The Senate has re-examined and passed three bills that were initially rejected by the president, Muhammadu Buhari. The bills are the Federal University of Wukari (Establishment, etc) Bill, Nigerian Film Commission Bill and Nigerian Aeronautical Search and Rescue Bill, The Senate leader, Ahmed Lawan, highlighted the president’s rationale for withholding the assent borders on his observation on some clauses in the bills.
Mr Buhari had stated his reasons for declining assent to the bills in separate letters sent to the Senate. For the Federal University Wukari (Establishment etc.) Bill, Mr Buhari said he rejected the bill because of the “scope of, and phrases utilised in the Bill.”
“The word “Statute” should replace regulation throughout the bill for consistency. “Paragraph 9 (1) of the 1st schedule should refer to ‘the president’ and not ‘the visitor’ and paragraph 5 of the 3rd Schedule should refer to sub-paragraph (2) and not sub-paragraph (3).”
“Please accept, senate president, assurances of my highest consideration,” he said.
For the Nigerian Film Commission bill, he said “Section 1 (k) of the bill states that 1% of the proceeds for the television license for the national broadcasting commission shall be paid into a fund to be controlled by the national film commission, it is conflict with section 16 (1) of the national broadcasting commission act which stipulates the purpose for which expenditure to be generated by NBC may be used.
“Section 7 (2) (d) of the bill proposed 5% VAT on all film-related activities to the national film development fund violates section 40 of the Valued Added Tax and ensuring formula described therein because it averts funds normally distributed to states of the federation.”
His reason for rejecting the Nigerian Aeronautical Search and Rescue Bill, is due to “the numerous discrepancies of the bill which makes it not in tandem with international best practices guiding the aviation industry worldwide.
He also added that “certain sections are just a duplication of the functions of NEMA and other Agencies.”
Mr Lawan said a technical committee of the Senate, had worked on the president’s observations and have re-drafted the affected clauses.
He, however, did not read out the amendments made to these clauses.
The Senate then resolved into the committee of the whole, reconsidered and passed the bills.
The Senate will wait for harmonisation from the House of Representatives after which the bills will be transmitted to the president for assent.
Source: Premium Times
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