By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Niger State House of Assembly has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shett...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The Niger State House of Assembly has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and the Emir of Minna for their interventions following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The commendation was made by the member representing Chanchaga Constituency and Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Abubakar Mohammed, during personal explanations at plenary on Tuesday.
Abubakar expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his prompt intervention and directive for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
He also commended Vice President Shettima for visiting the state to commiserate with the people over the incident, while praising Governor Bago for taking steps to prevent the situation from escalating during the crisis.
The lawmaker further acknowledged the role played by the Emir of Minna in maintaining peace and calming tensions following the incident.
Speaking during the plenary, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Barr. Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, also appreciated the President, Vice President, Governor and Emir of Minna for their efforts in managing the situation.
The Speaker particularly commended the youths of the state for their restraint, maturity and peaceful conduct, noting that they had demonstrated respect for the rule of law by refusing to take the law into their own hands.
The House thereafter observed a minute of silence in honour of the deceased.
Assembly Passes Two Bills into Law
Meanwhile, the Assembly passed into law the Bill to Domesticate the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Niger State and for Matters Connected Therewith, 2026.
The Bill was considered following the presentation of a report by the Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Mohammed Sani Idris.
Presenting the report, Idris said the legislation sought to establish a harmonised retirement framework for teachers in the state.
He explained that the law prescribed compulsory retirement for teachers at 65 years of age or after 40 years of pensionable service, whichever came first.
According to him, the legislation would provide a clear statutory basis for implementing the harmonised retirement age for teachers in Niger State.
Following consideration of the committee’s report and the Bill, the House passed the legislation into law.
The Assembly also passed into law a Bill to repeal the Niger State Power Sector Law, 2024, and re-enact the Niger State Electricity Law, 2026.
The legislation seeks to establish a comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the state’s electricity market, covering generation, transmission, system operation, distribution, supply and electricity trading within Niger State.
Presenting the report on the Bill, the Chairman of the relevant House Committee and member representing Agwara Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Garba, said the legislation would provide the necessary framework for developing the state’s electricity sector.
He added that the law would create an enabling environment for attracting private-sector investment into electricity generation and other segments of the power value chain.
Assembly Receives State Police Bill
In another development, the Niger State House of Assembly received a Bill transmitted by the National Assembly seeking to provide for the establishment of a State Police Service and related matters.
The Speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, read the Bill during plenary.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, to provide a constitutional framework for establishing state police services while retaining the Nigeria Police Force as the federal police service.
The National Assembly requested the Niger State Assembly to consider the Bill and communicate its resolution in accordance with constitutional provisions.
The House subsequently commenced the necessary legislative consideration of the proposed amendment.
Appropriation Committee Describes China Visit as Rewarding
Meanwhile, the Niger State House of Assembly has described the recent visit by its Committee on Appropriation to China as a rewarding experience that exposed members to contemporary approaches to budget preparation and fiscal management.
Speaking during plenary on Tuesday following the House’s resumption from recess, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Zubairu Ismail, said the visit had enhanced members’ understanding of fiscal management, resource allocation, budget implementation and mechanisms for ensuring value for money.
Ismail commended Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for approving the visit, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen the committee’s capacity to discharge its legislative responsibilities.
“These lessons are directly relevant to our responsibilities as legislators and, more importantly, to our collective responsibility to our constituents,” he said.
He added that the governor’s approval of the visit demonstrated the strength of the relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government.
According to him, cooperation between the two arms of government, within the framework of constitutional responsibilities and mutual respect, would ultimately benefit the people.
“Such working relationships and cooperation strengthen democratic governance, promote accountability and create an environment in which government policies and programmes are translated into tangible development,” he added.
The committee chairman also thanked the governor for his foresight and commitment to strengthening legislative capacity.
He commended the Speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, for his leadership and support for initiatives aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and professionalism of the House.
Ismail assured that the knowledge and experience acquired during the China visit would be put to productive use, particularly in improving the state’s appropriation process.
He said the committee would continue working to promote fiscal responsibility, prudent management of public resources, transparency, accountability and value for money for the people of Niger State.
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