***Advocates life jail for unlawful explosives manufacturers
The Senate has set machinery in motion for the establishment of a tribunal that would be dedicated to implementing of Audit report as adopted by both chambers of the National Assembly
The bill which scaled second reading was sponsored by the Chairman, senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Mathew Urhoghide (PDP Edo South)
Urhoghide in his lead debate on the bill seeking for an Act to provide for strict implementation of the National Assembly recommendations on Annual Federal Audit Reports and for related matters, said the proposed legislation was very necessary for potency of the ar against corruption.
According to him, for war against corruption to be effective, findings and recommendations made in Audit report, must be strictly implemented or enforced .
“Is not enough for the National Assembly as provided for in section 88 of the 1999 constitution to expose corruption through required investigation but go further , to ensure strict implementation of resolutions made”, he said.
Similarly the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan in his remarks, said the missing link of strict implementation of resolutions taken by the National Assembly on yearly audit reports, must be addressed.
“The proposed legislation is very necessary, something in the mode of a Tribunal is needed for strict implementations of recommendations inform of prosecution of offenders.
“Public Hearing on this bill, must be thoroughly conducted on how the Tribunal would be put in place as a potent way of fighting corruption ” , he said.
Section 11 of the bill is seeking to repeal the explosives Act 1964 and enact the explosives Act 2023 passed for third reading by Senate on Wednesday, recommends life imprisonment without option of fine , as punishment for any person who unlawfully manufactures any explosives in the country.