Constitution review: Senate to hold public hearing in 6 geopolitical zones July

From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution will hold a two-day zonal public hearing in the six geo-political zones of the country on July 4 and 5 to gather citizens’ input on the proposed constitutional amendments.

According to a statement by Ismail Mudashir, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who chairs the committee, the public hearings will be held simultaneously in Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), Ikot Ekpene (South South), Jos (North Central), Maiduguri, (North East) and Kano (North West).

The spokesman said the hearing would examine critical national issues, including local government autonomy, electoral and judicial reforms, state creation, state police and inclusive governance.

Giving an insight to bills under consideration, he disclosed that one of the bills proposes the establishment of local government councils as a tier of government to guarantee their democratic existence and tenure, a part of a renewed push to grant full autonomy to the country’s 774 local government government areas in the country.

“The second bill on local government reforms seeks to create an independent National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC) to organise, conduct and supervise local government elections,” he added.

The statement continued: “Also to be considered during the zonal public hearing are two bills on security and policing for the establishment of state police and state security council to coordinate internal security policies at the sub-national level.

“In the area of fiscal reforms, six bills are going to be considered, including the one to empower the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to enforce compliance of remittance of accruals into and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account and streamline the procedure for reviewing the revenue allocation formula.

“Also, on fiscal reforms, a bill to alter the provisions of the constitution to specify the period within which the president or the governor of a state shall present the appropriation bill before the National Assembly or State House of Assembly will be discussed during the hearing.

“In a fresh move towards gender equity, the Committee will also consider a bill to provide additional seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly.

“To strengthen traditional institutions, a Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution to establish the National Council of Traditional Rulers, the State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Local Government Council of Traditional Rulers would also be considered.