HOUSE ADOPTS CONFERENCE REPORT ON A BILL TO STRENTHEN ADMINISTRATION OF PRISONS
The House of Representatives during sitting on Tuesday, 1st July, 2014 received and
adopted a conference report on a Bill for an Act to repeal the Prisons Act, Cap. P29 Laws
of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and to make comprehensive provisions for the
administration of prisons in Nigeria; and for other connected purposes (HB. 107). Speaker
Aminu Tambuwal granted leave to Hon. Umar Bature to move for the adoption of the
harmonized Bill.</p>
<p>In his motion, Hon. Bature recalled with nostalgia that the
Prisons Bill was passed by the House in June 2013 and conventionally transmitted to the
senate for concurrence. A clean copy of the Bill was made ready for adoption after the two
chambers met in conference in October 2013 and adopted the harmonized version. He added
that owing to the importance of the Bill to the effective administration of criminal
justice system and to the development and efficient management of the Prisons Services in
the country, members were urged to support the adoption of the report. </p>
<p>In
another development, the House passed for second reading, a Bill that sought to establish
the Constituencies Development Fund for the purpose of even development of all
constituencies in the Federation. The sponsor of the Bill, Hon Ben Nwankwo, exposed that
the intendment of the Bill is to dedicate specific portion of the annual budget for the
provision of infrastructural development and poverty eradication across the country. While
he attempted to persuade his colleagues in the chamber to support a Bill he tagged a
pro-people and poverty eradication Bill, he canvassed that this has become a trend in most
developing nations. </p>