The All Progressives Congress (APC) Awareness Project Kaduna State has slammed detractors of the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Uba Sani, pointing out that in less than two years at the Senate, his achievements are enviable.
This was expressed in a statement signed by the Chairman of the group, Musa B. Magaji, made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Thursday.
The group listed several achievements of Senator Uba Sani, beginning with the Federal College of Education, Giwa Kaduna State (Est, Etc) Bill 2019 (SB. 121).
“The Bill was sponsored in realization of the fact that the crisis in the education sector cannot be effectively tackled if priority attention is not given to the production of professional and quality teachers.
“The Bill has scaled through 1st and 2nd Reading at the Senate. On the 9th day of March 2019, constituents and key stakeholders from Giwa joined Senator Uba Sani at the public hearing on the bill, which was organized by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund.
“The Bill passed Third Reading at the Senate on 15th July 2020 and was read for the first time in the House of Representatives on 3rd December 2020. The Bill now awaits the concurrence of the House of Representatives before it will be transmitted to the President for assent,” they said.
The group further said that the Federal Medical Centre Rigasa, Kaduna State (Est., Etc.) Bill 2019 (SB.169) bill was sponsored in response to the cries of constituents, especially those in densely populated area who daily watch helplessly as women and children die due to lack of well equipped healthcare centres.
“The institution will provide services in specialized areas like Neuro-surgery, Cardiology, Urology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Internal Medicine, Radiotherapy, Ear, Nose and Throat Treatment (ENT), Gynaecology, Psychiatry, Nuclear Medicine and other fields of medicine that may be required by Nigerians.
“On the 18th day of February 2019, constituents and key stakeholders from Rigasa joined Senator Uba Sani at the public hearing on the bill, which was organized by the Senate Committee on Health. The Bill passed Third Reading at the Senate on 3rd December 2020 and now awaits the concurrence of the House of Representatives before it will be transmitted to the President for assent,” it added.
Other bills listed included the Banks and Other Financial Institutions (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Act 2020.
“The Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 2004 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2019 (SB.178), which was sponsored to reinvent and reenergize the banking and financial sector in Nigeria, was assented to by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR and as such became a law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 13th November 2020.
“The new Act updates the existing Act and brings it in line with global best practices. It will enhance the efficiency in the process of obtaining/granting banking licences.
“It incorporates the laws for enacting, licensing and regulation of Microfinance Banks in the country. It clarifies and delineates the regulatory functions of the Central Bank of Nigeria in the financial services industry.
“It regulates the activities of Financial Technology Companies (FINTECHs), and imposes stiffer penalties for regulatory breaches in the financial services sector.
“As President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR noted in his remarks, the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 2020 is a historic and significant achievement that will enhance the soundness and resilience of Nigeria’s financial system.’
It stressed that another bill, Care and Protection of Child Parents Bill 2019 (SB198) was sponsored to provide succor to child parents and create a platform where they can be reintegrated into society after child birth and still fulfil their dreams. The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate.
“Federal College of Forestry, Technology and Research, Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State (Est, Etc) Bill 2019 (SB201).
“The Bill was sponsored to tap into the potentials of forestry related education in Nigeria. When established, the institution will increase federal presence in such a remote area thereby providing jobs and by extension alleviating poverty.
“It will also make significant contributions to economic diversification through expanding the frontier of Agro-forestry especially now that cashew, shea butter, mango, guava etc. are becoming prominent in our export and local industrial crops. The Bill has since passed 1st and 2nd Reading at the Senate.”
Similarly, the group explained that the University of Technology Kaduna (Est, Etc) Bill 2019 also sponsored by Uba Sani seeks to convert Kaduna State Polytechnic into a university, primarily sponsored in a bid to reposition the institution so it can contribute effectively to the production of skilled manpower needed for Nigeria’s industrialization. The Bill has also passed 1st reading at the Senate.
It added that the Institute of Information and Communication Technology Kaduna South (Est., Etc.) Bill 2020 (SB.407) was initiated to improve the education standards in Kaduna State in terms of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), as well as place Northern Nigeria in a position to take full advantage of globalization and the emerging digital economy.
“The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate,” it added.
APC Awareness Project Kaduna State stressed that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill 2020 (SB. 410) was
sponsored by Senator Uba Sani to provide for the appointment of judges by State Governors on the recommendation of the State Judicial Service Commission, in order to aid the speedy dispensation of justice.
“The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate,” it informed.
They said that the Foreign Exchange (Control & Monitoring) Act 2004 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2020 (SB. 525) was sponsored to bridge the widening gap in exchange rates as well as tackle the issue of rising inflation due to high cost of imports.
“Cost of goods and services increase because many cost items are incurred at black market rates while foreign currency revenue will be reported at the lower interbank rates resulting in lower tax payments. The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate.”
Still reeling out bills passed by Uba Sani, they said that the Fire Arms Act Cap F28 LFN (Amendment) Bill 2020 (SB. 549) seeks to amend the Firearms Act, Cap. F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to amongst other provisions, increase the imposition of fines for offences, provide for the destruction of firearms illegally imported into the country or in possession of individuals without valid license in a bid to build public confidence in the overall efforts targeted at preventing and curtailing the circulation of illegal firearms in the country.
The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate.
“Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill 2020 (SB. 550)
This Bill seeks to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to amongst other provisions establish State Police Force in the 36 states of the Federation, change the name of the Police Service Commission to the Federal Police Service Commission, establish the State Police Service Commission and amend the Second and Third Schedules of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate.
“National Human Rights Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2020 (SB. 551)
This Bill seeks to Alter the National Human Rights Commission (Amendment) Act, 2010, to amongst other provisions include representatives of the youth and Persons with Disability (PWDs) in the composition of the Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission so as to ensure the rights and interests of these categories of persons are adequately represented at the national level. The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate.
“NDLEA Act CAP NO.3 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2020 (SB. 582)
This Bill was sponsored to strengthen the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in tackling the growing rate of drug abuse in Nigeria especially in the North and eliminating the growing, processing, manufacturing, selling, exporting and trafficking of hard drugs. The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate.
“Police Service Commission Act 2001 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2020 (SB. 594)
This Bill seeks to repeal the Police Service Commission Act 2001 and enact the Federal Police Service Commission (Est. Etc) Bill to amongst other provisions establish a Commission which shall be charged with discipline of all officers except in state police force and to dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over any person holding office in the Nigeria Police Force (other than the inspector-general of police). The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate.
“Nigerian Police Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (SB. 593)
This Bill seeks to alter the Nigeria Police Act 2020 to amongst other provisions establish an operational structure for State Police Force in the 36 states of the Federation, change the name of the Police Service Commission to the Federal Police Service Commission, and address new issues that are not covered under the Nigeria Police Act 2020. The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate,” they emphasized.
They concluded by pointing out that the State Police Service Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2020 (SB. 595) also sponsored by Uba Sani to seek to enact the State Police Service Commission (Est. Etc.) Bill to amongst other provisions establish a Commission which shall be charged with discipline of all officers except in state police force and to dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over any person holding office in the State Police Force (other than the Commissioner of police).
“The Bill has passed 1st Reading at the Senate,” they said.
