The Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Enugu Centre for the South East Zonal Public Hearing on Constitution Amendment, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, says all is set for the two-day public hearing by the House Special Committee on Constitution Review.
The hearing is scheduled for the people of Enugu, Ebonyi, and Anambra States in Enugu on Tuesday, June 1, and Wednesday, June 2, 2021.
Okechukwu said the public hearing was in furtherance of the powers conferred on the Legislature by Sections 4, 8, and 9 of the 1999 Constitution as well as the Rule 9 of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives.
The lawmaker, who represents Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency in Enugu State, explained that the House of Representatives, says the House of Representatives was currently considering over thirty constitution amendment Bills.
“These Bills fall under broad thematic areas such as restructuring, including state creation, devolution of powers, creation of state police; and electoral matters, independent candidacy, diapora voting, and general reforms of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be able to deliver transparent, free, fair, and credible elections.
“We are also looking at administrative and financial autonomy as well as uniformity of tenures for local government council;
“We are also considering Bills on judicial reforms, extension of immunity clause to judicial officers and presiding officers of the Legislature; creation of constitutional roles for traditional rulers; the issue of indigeneship and residency; and the straightening of the independence of critical institutions of democracy, and any other proposals that Nigerians deem fit”, Okechukwu noted.
He called on the leaders and people of the South East, including civil society groups and professional bodies to use the opportunity presented by the public hearing to make strategic inputs into the constitution for the betterment of the region and the nation.
“The underlying reason and wisdom in public hearing in the legislative process is to enable citizens, stakeholders, and interest groups, among others, to air their views and make inputs into legislations that will affect their lives in very many ways. Therefore, the fact that the constitution is the most fundamental and important law of the land is the more reason the people of the South East region, particularly the people of Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu, need to come out en masse to the Enugu Centre of the nationwide public hearing to make their voices heard”, he concluded.
Meanwhile, the public hearing, which will hold at The Base Event Centre, Independence Layout, Enugu starting at 9am each day, will be declared open by the Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, supported by other South-eastern Governors.
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