Reps Pass Record-breaking 130 Bills Through First Reading

SAN FRANCISCO, December 10, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives recorded another landmark achievement on Thursday as 130 bills scaled through first reading.

Some of the bills are: Price Control Act (amendment) bill, Public Private Partnership Regulatory Commission bill, 2015; Casino Taxation Act (amendment) bill; Extradition Act (Amendment) bill; Workers Compensation Act (Repeal) bill; Electoral Act (amendment) bill; Robbery and Firearms (Special provision) Act (amendment) bill; Private Guardian Companies Act (amendment) bill, and Hire Purchase Act (amendment) bill.

Others are Weight and Measures Act (amendment) bill, National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria Act (Repeal) bill, Currency Conversion (Freezing orders) Act (amendment) bill, Public Accounts Implementation Tribunal Act (amendment) bill, Lagos Port Operation (Special provision) Act (amendment), Association of National Accountant of Nigeria Act (amendment) bill, National Housing Fund Act (amendment) bill, Trade Malpractice (Miscellaneous offences) Act and Value Added Tax Act (amendment) bill.

In his remarks, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, who presided over the plenary session, described the development as unprecedented, adding that about 20 of the bills would pass through second reading next week.

Dogara expressed optimism that all the bills are expected to be passed into law before the end of the first quarter of 2016.

The Speaker also noted that more interventionist bills would be presented before the House, adding that the intention of passing the 130 bills on the same day was to clean its books, that for any change to be sustained, it has to come by way of legislation.

He said the National Assembly owed Nigerians the responsibility of keeping its laws up-to-date.

Some of the bills are: Corporate Manslaughter bill, which the speaker personally sponsored, Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Amendment) bill and Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Amendment) bill sponsored by Uzoma Nkem-Abonta.

Others include Electoral Act (Amendment) bill, Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) (Repeal) bill, Dangerous Drugs Act (Amendment) bill sponsored by Chike Okafor, and National Minimum Wage Act (Amendment) bill sponsored by Peter Akpatason, among others.