Senate Passes Police Reform Bill to raise Policing to global standard
The Senate has passed the Police Reform Bill, 2019, following consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs at Wednesday’s plenary.
The report was presented by Senator Tijjanj Kaura, after Senator Gbenga Ashafa had urged the upper chamber to look at what the bill stands for and Senator Mao Ohuabunwa seconded it.
Among many other things, the bill seeks the establishment of a service-oriented and modern Police that will meet globally acceptable policing standards in a democratic setting.
It also seeks to modernise the current Police Force (which was conceptualised and established in the Colonial environment to protect colonial interests) as one geared towards protecting and safeguarding the lives and properties of Nigerian citizens.
…passes 7 Bills rejected by Buhari
The Senate has passed seven of the at least 16 bills rejected so far this year by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The bills are the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Bill, National Research and Innovation Council Bill, Stamp Duties Act (Amendment) Bill, National Agricultural Seed Council Bill, Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (Amendment) Bill and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill.
Buhari had expressed reservations about the constitutionality of passing the bills into law, and therefore wrote the Senate to reconsider them.
The upper chamber also initiated moves to the override the President’s veto on the Fourth Alteration Bill No.28 — a constitutional amendment that seeks to mandate the President and state governors to present annual budget estimates before legislature at most three months to the end of a financial year. It also seeks to encourage early presentation and passage of Appropriation Bills.
The President had rejected the bill, arguing that it didn’t capture the provisions of Section 58(4) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
With the Industrial Development Amendment Bill, which, if passed, will enable companies expand their operations in pioneer industry or product to apply for a new pioneer status, the President had declined, saying assenting to it would interfere with ongoing inter-ministerial consultations.
However, even though the Senate had listed both bills — the Fourth Alteration Bill No.28 and the Industrial Development Amendment Bill — in its Order Paper for the day as meant to be overruled. However, the two bills were not considered at the end of plenary.
