The Rivers State House of Assembly has passed the state Sustainable Development Amendment Bill into law.
The passage of the bill yesterday followed a unaminmoius adoption of the recommendation of the ad-hoc committee report on the bill chaired by Hon Golden Ngozi Chioma.
The bill seeks to enact a law that would fast-track the development of the state through partnership with the private sector, to manage an agency of which the government would contribute 5 per cent of its revenue, while the private sector, especially the multinationals would also contribute funds.
The principal bill was signed into law by the Dr Peter Odili administration in 2007.
The amendment bill was presented to the House by Hon Iboroma Kitchners (Akuku-Toru II). Before the passage of the bill, the Speaker, Rt Hon Tonye Harry, who presided announced the receipt of the ad-hoc committee report but said members needed time to enable vigorous deliberation on it.
However kick starting the debate, Hon Jones Ogbonda (Phalga I) while adopting the recommendations of the ad-hoc committee, disagreed with the commitee’s recommendation that section 20 of the principal law be removed entirely from the proposed amended bill.
Hon Ogbonda argured that section 20 be retained because it tallies with section 14 of 1999 Nigerian Consitution.
Also contributing, Hon Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja (Opobo/Nkoro) while supporting the recommendation of the committee canvassed that the appointment of programme director should be reserved for indigenes of the state in conformity with the present administration’s thrust of indigeneous empowerment.
Other lawmakers who contributed to the bill also commended the committee for a job well done, but regreted that the committee was silent on the appointment of members of the board of the agency, stressing that the members of the board should be Rivers State indigenes.
The lawmakers were of the opinion that the multinational companies who are expected to be co-donors of the fund have not done enough in their social responsibilities to their host communities as such appointing them into the board would mar the objective of the bill.
However, the Speaker, Rt Hon Tonye Harry in his ruling said that the committee has recommended that the position of the chairman and secetary of the board be reserved for Rivers people, adding that companies which contribute to the fund have right to know how their money is managed.
The Speaker while thanking the legislators for their cointributions noted that the bill as amended when signed into law would address the problem of development of the state as well as take care of the yearning for creation of state oil commission.
Meanwhile, th Rivers State House of Assembly has screened additional five commissionbers normiees among the 30man commissioner list sent to it by Governor Chibuike Amaechi for confirmation.
Those screened at yesterday sitting includes Mr Marshall Uwom, Mr Joe Poroma, Mr Emma Chinda, Bar Alice Nemi as well as Chief Ibiau Davies Ikanga.
Yesterday secreening exercise brings to the number of norminees so far screened by the state lawmakers.
