HOUSE TASKS MINISTRY ON COMPLETION OF ISHAN WATER PROJECT
The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to
expedite action through fund sourcing for the immediate completion, commissioning and
utilization of the Northern Ishan Water Supply Project. The resolution followed a motion
dispassionately moved by Hon. Friday Itulah during plenary on Thursday, 23 October. He
exposed that the sum of 250 million Naira is needed for the completion of the project and
suggested for its inclusion in the 2015 fiscal year Appropriation
Act.
Hon. Itulah explained that non-completion of the project has left the
pipes decaying while the affected communities, the Esan North, East/South, are still
suffering for lack of water supply. He added that non release of 300 million Naira has
encumbered the utilization of the water project which is essential to the people of his
Federal Constituency. The contract for the water project was first awarded in 2005 for the
sum of 2.2 billion Naira and reviewed upwards in 2009 to a total sum of 2.4 billion Naira.
He appealed to the House to wade in on the matter as abandoning the project at its present
state would amount to wastage of large sum of money already committed to the
project.
Another matter which took center stage during Thursday’s sitting was a
debate on a Bill that sought to prohibit racketeering in human pregnancy or
operation of baby production factories, harboring of pregnant persons under the age of 18
years and above and selling or attempting to sell newly born babies in Nigeria.
Highlighting the general principles of the Bill, its sponsor, Hon. Eddie Mbadiwe, said the
Bill is needed to discourage all forms of trafficking in persons and related practices.
Many members added their voice in support of the Bill and condemned any act that reduces
human dignity and commercializes human beings under whatever circumstances. The Bill was
read the second time and referred to the Committee on Human Trafficking for further
legislative action.