THE BILL SEEKING TO EMPOWER PLHA: PASSED SECOND READING
By Azi Peter
The Plateau state House of Assembly, on Tuesday,durring plenary intensively delibrated on the Bill Management of funds of Plateau state House of Assembly. The Bill which seek to empower the state legislature as an arm of financially independent from the executive arm of Government draw the attention of the members of the Assembly who contributed vigorously on the bill. Hon.Daniel Dem Representing Riyom state constituency, stated that if the bill is passed it will set in motion the financial autonomy of the legislature as an arm of government, the bill is long overdue, to achieve a lot in democracy, the autonomy is very key and will help the house to operate freely from interference of Executive arm. In his own contribution, Rt Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi of Kantana constituency drew the attention of the House to the item five of the bill that states that the accounting officer will liase with the accountant General of the state to open a statutory account and according to Gagdi, that should be expunged, The Deputy Speaker should head the finance and general purpose committee but the bill is silent on that, he also raised observation that the bill that seek that three members should be appointed one from each Senatorial District to serve at the fund management committee. Which parameter will be use to appoint them, favouritism and will come to play, he suggested that bill should be painstakingly debated to avoid ambiguity. Other members who also lent their voices to the bill are Hon Peter Ajang Azi, Ezekiel Afon, mohammed Abubakar Balo,representing Jos North West constituency, Pengana and Quan’pan South constituencies said the bill is timely they suggested that the Chairman House committee on accounts and public petitions should be included in the fund management committee .The bill was later passed a second reading by clerk via a motion by the Majority leader. The house standing committees on Finance, House services, rule and businesses were committed with the bill and the house will received the report on Tuesday, 20th,November 2018

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THE BILL SEEKING TO EMPOWER PLHA: PASSED SECOND READING