Politicians panic as Reps want educational qualification for President, Govs, other offices raised to first degree

 

.House C’ttee gives five Ministers, Perm Secs seven-day ultimatum to appear over audit queries

.As Gbajabiamila faults contract award by agencies

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

 

 

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed into second reading a bill seeking to raise the educational qualification of President and Vice President, Governor and Deputy Governor and members of the National and State Houses of Assemblies in Nigeria

 

The new bill is entitled ‘A Bill for an Act to Review the  Qualifications for Certain Political Offices and For Related Matters’

 

Debating on the general principles of the bill, the sponsor Hon.Omowumi Onanuga (Ogun,APC)  said that the new legislation is not targeted at stiffling the interest of Nigerians in politics.

 

She noted that the race for political offices in Nigeria have become very fierce and intense due largely to the low qualifications for such offices.

 

She said: “The bill if passed will place more value for political offices.

“All the offices affected by this Act are very strategic and influencial in nature”

 

According to the lawmaker, if a managing director of a company is required to possess a university degree the occupant of a political office is also required to possess the requisite qualifications.

 

She argued that the proposed legislation if passed will place more value for the offices of President, Vice President, Governor and Deputy Governors and other political offices in the country.

 

Consequently, the House presided by the Deputy Speaker Hon.Idris Wase unanimously adopted the motion through a voice vote.

in another development, The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Alleged Cases of Indiscriminate and Unlawful Administrative and Unlawful Charges on Contracts and Such Percentage Charges on Projects Implementation By Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs of the Federal Government From 2010-2021 has aked all the heads of the establishments to open up thier finacial books for proper scrutiny by the House.

 

This was as the Speaker of the House Hon.Femi Gbajabimila has deplored the unwholsome practice whereby some government ministries and agencies levy administrative and other charges in the award of contract to contractors in these agencies

 

Gbajbbimila spoke at the commencement of the investigative hearing  by the House Ad-hoc Committee where many government ministries, departments and agencies were invited and grilled on the illegal charges in the award of contracts

 

He assured the Ad-hoc Committee of the support of the entire House as they embark on the onerous task of unravelling who was responsible for this unwholesmoe practice by government agencies and how much was generated.

 

“I am glad that many stakeholders have elected to participate in this inveatigative hearing. This is evidence that the importance of this assignment is recognized by all.

 

‘”I hope that thia recogbition will infprm the subject, tone and quality of al the contributions made her today” he said.

 

The Spaeker who constituted the House Ad-hoc Committee on Thursday 20th January 2022 said that after a motion calling for the investigation by a lawmaker said that the House ‘ll always endeavour to ensure that public finances do so according to the law.

 

Simiilarly, Charman of the Ad-hoc Committee Hon.Francis Charles Uduyok said that the Committe ‘ll ensure that the principles of fairness and provide all stakeholders the platform and opportunity to make their informed submission and clarification on the matter under investigation.

 

“Having explained the legality of constituting this Committee and its mandate, I wish to assure you that we shall ensure that the principles of fairness and provide the stakeholders the platform and opportunity to make their informed submissions and clarifications on the matter” he said.

 

The hearing he informed followed the House resolution (HR.11/01/2022) which mandates the probe panel to investigate alleged cases of unlawful charges and levies on contracts and projects implementation by ministries, departments and agencies MDAs from 2010-2021.

 

The investigative hearing which attracted many stakeholders in the built environment also had in attendance top officials of the Federal Ministries of Environment,Women Affairs and Social Development and the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Agency SMEDAN among others