Rivers crisis: Amaewhule faction passes 2 bills, condemns demolition of Assembly complex

From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt

The Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly led on Thursday, at its 88th Legislative Sitting in the auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters at Aba Road, Port Harcourt, passed the Rivers State House of Assembly Funds Management (Financial Autonomy)Bill, 2023.

The lawmakers passed the bill after debating on the report of the House Committee on Public Accounts on the Bill.

Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, while
commenting on the report which was presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Major Jack, emphasized the importance of the passage of the Bill.

He said that it would provide for the management of funds accruing to the Rivers State House of Assembly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State.

The speaker added that the law would ensure accountability and efficient utilisation of funds.

Also, the House passed the Rivers State Local Government Law, No. 5 of 2018 (Amendment) Bill, 2023 after a robust debate on the report of the House Committee on Local Government which was presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Ignatius Onwuka.

Remarking on the report, the speaker stated that the House decided to delete some sections of the Law and amended some other sections because those sections were “anachronistic and an anathema to democratic principles”.

Amaewhule enthused that with the passage of the amendment bill, elected Local Government Council chairmen and councillors would be liberated from arbitrary removals and suspensions.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly has via a motion, adopted and converted the Auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters as its hallowed Chamber.

The house condemned in an unequivocal terms what it described as “heartless and brazen demolition” of the House of Assembly complex by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, without the approval and knowledge of the House.

The House, in a motion sponsored by 26 members and moved by Ofiks Kabang, member, representing Andoni Constituency in the House, drew the attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Inspector-General of Police and the International community, to the alleged constant attack by Governor Fubara on the Legislature of Rivers State.

Addressing the prayers of the motion, the Speaker, Amaewhule, hinted that the House would write to the United Nations and governments of other well known democracies on the actions of the governor against the legislature; stressing that no amount of harassment, intimidation and mindless attacks against the legislature would make them shy away from their constitutional duties.