Conference of Speakers of the State Legislatures has sought for an amendment to impeachment procedures of Speakers’ of States House of Assembly in Nigeria.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues at the grand finale of the national public hearing on the 1999 constitution review in Abuja, the Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, stressed the need to strengthen legislative procedures of removing a speaker.
Mr. Wuse also said the current standard on issue of financial autonomy had brought untold hardship to people hence the proposed amendment to section 123(3) to reflect implementation of financial autonomy.
“We have inserted the issue of the allocation committee for each state. We also provided how the accounts of the judiciary and state assemblies can be run. This essentially is what the amendment that is sought for in section 123(4) by the conference of speakers, it is essentially to strengthen that institution.
“In addition to that we have also called for amendment of part 2 of the third schedule of the constitution where you have state executive bodies. Because the state House of Assembly Service Commission could not be included in view of the need to have autonomy in the state assemblies.
The state house of assembly service commission needs to be included in that schedule where you have state executive bodies. We have also proposed an amendment to chapter 1 part 2 section 5 of the Constitution calling for state police.
“We have called for a new sub-section (2C) to read that it shall be vested with power to read that their shall be vested with power to establish police and other security services under a law of the house of assembly.”
He also said the conference was also proposing devolution of power to states and local governments on issues relating to mineral resources, mining, geological survey, aviation among others.
According to him, the conference believes that there is need to strengthen the local government administration, noting that such would enhance service delivery at the grassroots.
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