Legislature
At last, the Senate discards Controversial National Water Resources Bill
The Senate has rejected the controversial National Water Resources Bill, 2023 after it was listed for concurrence on the order paper for consideration and passage on Tuesday
The rejection of the bill by the Senate had put an end to the controversy by governors and federal lawmakers mostly from the southern part of the country.
When the bill was read for concurrence on the floor of the Senate, Senator Gabriel Suswan from Benue North West raised Order 85 of the Senate Rules which provides that Senators must have full details of the provisions of any bill coming for concurrence.
Senator James Manager from Delta South who seconded Senator Suswan stressed the need to have details of the bill since provision was made for only the title of bill.
President of the senate Ahmad Lawan later ruled in favour of the rule cited and adjourned the plenary for the day.
It would be recalled that the House of Representatives had passed the bill in 2020 admist suspicion by members and general public.
Before the passage, Chairman of the House Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli, said the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), as well as commissioners for justice and attorneys-general of the 36 states of the federation had been consulted and the opinions received would be attached to the bill and distributed to all members.
A member of the House from Benue State, Mark Gbillah, had raised the alarm when the bill was to be taken for the first reading.
Only the short title of a bill is written on the Order Paper for first reading, while a long title, which has more details, is written when listed for second reading.
Gbillah said, “I am aware that the matter listed for first reading, the National Water Resources Bill, generated a lot of controversy within this honourable House and even across the country, and some of us wonder why this issue is still being re-presented on the floor of the House, because some of us are not comfortably in support of this bill in the first instance Mr speaker. I thought I should bring that to the notice of the Right Honourable Speaker.
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, who admitted that Gbillah “raised a very cogent point,” noted that Nigeria is a very diverse country and everybody’s sensitivity must be taken into consideration.
Gbillah, however, disagreed with the Speaker, stating that the lawmakers were duly elected and given the mandate to represent the interests of their constituents. He said, “Whatever the governors might have agreed upon may not be acceptable to us. It is we that have those powers as enshrined in the Constitution to enact legislation that will be binding on this country.”
There were fireworks in the House on September 29, 2020, with some members, mostly from the southern part of the country, raising various legal and procedural issues against the bill.
The President, Muhammadu Buhari had in 2017 presented the controversial bill to both chambers of the National Assembly, which seek to transfer the control of water resources from the states to the Federal Government.
The legislation was titled, ‘A Bill for An Act to Establish a Regulatory Framework for the Water Resources Sector in Nigeria, Provide for the Equitable and Sustainable Redevelopment, Management, Use and Conservation of Nigeria’s Surface Water and Groundwater Resources and for Related Matter.’
The summary of the bill reads, “This Act repeals the Water Resources Act, Cap W2 LFN 2004; River Basin Development Act Cap R9 LFN 2004; Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (Establishment) Act, Cap N110A, LFN,2004; NationaI Water Resources lnstitute Act Cap N83 LFN 2004; and establishes the National Council on Water Resources, Nigeria Water Resources Regulatory Commission, River Basin Development Authorities, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, and the National Water Resources Institute.”
The proposed bodies, if established, will “provide for the regulation, equitable and sustainable development, management, use and conservation of Nigeria’s surface water and groundwater resources.”
Though the 8th House managed to pass the bill, the controversy had frustrated passage of the bill by the Senate.
The Senate had on May 24, 2018, considered the executive bill for second reading, during which senators were divided across regional lines.
While northern senators had supported the proposal and its objectives, their southern counterparts had opposed it.
Those opposed to the bill had pointed out that the bill, if passed into law, would further centralise power and resources of the country. This, they pointed out, would counter the move towards devolution of power domiciled with the Federal Government.
The National Assembly has modified the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act to prescribe life imprisonment for individuals found guilty of storing, transporting, or concealing illicit drugs and substances.
The amendment was adopted on Thursday during plenary, presided over by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, following broad support from the senators.
The amendment reflects a harmonised position of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Section 11 of the NDLEA Act.
The House had earlier passed an amendment prescribing life imprisonment for drug traffickers, while the Senate had proposed the death penalty.
To reconcile the differences, a conference committee of both chambers was convened. Senator Tahir Monguno, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, presented the harmonised version to the Senate.
He urged lawmakers to adopt the House’s position of life imprisonment, arguing that enforcing the death penalty could lead to the execution of over 900 accused persons currently awaiting trial for drug-related offenses.
The Deputy Senate President who presided over the plenary had put the resolution to a voice vote, and the majority of senators supported the amendment.
The approved version stipulates life imprisonment for offenders.
The amended section now reads:
“Anybody who is unlawfully involved in the storage, custody, movement, carriage, or concealment of dangerous drugs or controlled substances and who, while so involved, is armed with any offensive weapon or is disguised in any way, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and liable on conviction to be sentenced to life imprisonment.”
This amendment aims to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking while addressing concerns over human rights and the judicial implications of the death penalty.
The move is part of efforts to curb the growing menace of drug trafficking and its adverse effects on Nigerian society. According to Senator Monguno, the life imprisonment penalty strikes a balance between deterrence and humane judicial practice.
With the amendment, the NDLEA now has a robust legal framework to prosecute offenders and combat drug-related crimes effectively.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally requested the National Assembly’s approval for a $2.209 billion (₦1.767 trillion) external borrowing plan to finance part of the ₦9.17 trillion fiscal deficit in the 2024 budget. The loan, included in the 2024 Appropriation Act, is critical to the government’s broader strategy for economic recovery and growth.
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu noted that the borrowing aligns with the provisions of Sections 21(1) and 27(1) of the Debt Management Office (DMO) Establishment Act, 2003. He also indicated that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved the plan.
The President explained that the funds would be sourced through Eurobonds or similar external financial instruments. A detailed summary of the loan’s terms and conditions accompanied the letter to guide legislative scrutiny.
“This borrowing is necessary to address the budget deficit and fulfill our fiscal strategy for 2024. Swift approval will enable us to move forward with mobilizing these funds,” the President stated, emphasizing the urgency of the request.
Senate President Akpabio referred the matter to the Committee on Local and Foreign Deb
By Isah Bala
Access to quality education is a cornerstone of societal progress, and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is embodying this vision by bringing transformative educational tools to Kogi Central. In a groundbreaking initiative, the senator recently provided 5,000 digital learning devices to public primary and secondary schools in her district, aiming to bridge the digital divide and set a new educational standard.
The devices, unveiled at Abdul Aziz Attah Memorial College (AAAMCO), are preloaded with the Nigerian curriculum from UBEC and internationally acclaimed educational resources, including Khan Academy and Discovery Kids. Through this initiative, students will experience interactive learning, enabling them to explore subjects in depth, enhance digital literacy, and engage with complex topics in a hands-on way.
This project is just the beginning of Senator Natasha’s ambitious plan to make “smart schools” the norm in Kogi Central. She envisions a future where every child in her district has equal access to digital learning, stating, “My dream is to equip all public primary and secondary schools in Kogi Central with digital learning devices before the end of my tenure in 2027.”
Beyond device distribution, the senator’s initiative includes UBEC-led teacher training to ensure educators are equipped to integrate these tools into their classrooms effectively.
With this dual approach of student and teacher empowerment, Senator Natasha is laying a foundation that will support digital literacy and skill development for years to come.
Senator Natasha’s commitment to educational advancement represents a significant step forward for Kogi Central, ensuring that young students have access to the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. This initiative marks her dedication to the constituency that entrusted her with this mandate.
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