*House in Landmark Reforms to Make Education, Healthcare Free As Ihedioha
\nPresents Report on Amended Constitution*<\/p>\n
Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha on
\nTuesday presented what can be described as a landmark report on the
\nconcluded nationwide review process of the 1999 Constitution highlight of
\nwhich includes undeniable right to free basic education and free healthcare
\nservices for all Nigerians.<\/p>\n
The report is a summation of the resolutions of the State Houses of
\nAssembly on the amendment of the constitution which is a culmination of the
\nprocess for amending the nation\u2019s grundnum after both chambers of the
\nNational Assembly have harmonized their positions as stipulated by law. A
\ntwo-thirds majority of the state assemblies is required for any proposed
\namendment by the national assembly to pass and takes effect after assented
\nto by the President of the country.<\/p>\n
Ihedioha who laid the report during plenary in his capacity as chairman of
\nthe House Committee on the Review of the Constitution, informed his
\ncolleagues that new sections 45A and 45B were introduced to lift two items
\nbordering on free basic education and free primary and maternal healthcare
\nservices from Chapter 2 to Chapter 4 in order to make them justiciable. By
\nthis amendment, citizens are guaranteed the freedom to go to court to seek
\nredress for perceived breach of these rights by government.<\/p>\n
In another landmark amendment which returned approved from the states,
\nnational security agencies, the Nigerian police, State Houses of Assembly,
\nAttorneys-General, Auditors-General are now listed as bodies and offices to
\nenjoy a first line charge from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the
\nFederation. \u201cThis shall grant them financial autonomy to enable them carry
\nout their assignments without the hindrance of non-release of their
\nallocations and ensure their operational autonomy,\u201d the deputy speaker
\nquoted the report.<\/p>\n
A significant amendment that also scaled through from the states is the
\nendorsement of independent candidacy in elections in \u201corder to further open
\nup the political space\u201d and a further ancillary amendment in terms of a new
\nsection 228(e) which states that \u201cthe national assembly may by law provide
\nfor procedures, guidelines and qualifications for access to the ballot by
\npolitical parties and independent candidates.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The report also stated that the amendment process from the states upheld an
\namendment which originated from the Ihedioha committee in the House to
\nremove the word \u2018Force\u2019 from the name of the Nigeria Police Force in order
\nto emphasize the civil nature of policing \u201crather than celebrate brute
\nforce.\u201d<\/p>\n
The report from the states also indicated that some ambiguities hindering
\nthe creation of new states and boundary adjustments with respect to section
\n8 which states clearly in the amended constitution that \u201cthe referendum
\nrequired for a new State shall now be approved by at least two-thirds
\nmajority of the \u2018registered voters\u2019 of the local government areas where the
\ndemand originated from, instead of the current provision of approval by
\n\u201ctwo-third majority of the people of the area\u201d which is ambiguous and
\nsubject to different interpretations.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Several other highlights of the report as detailed in Ihedioha\u2019s
\npresentation include introduction of a new office of the Accountant
\n\u2013General of the Federal Government as separate from the office of the
\nAccountant \u2013General of the Federation; introduction of civil\/criminal
\nsanctions for failure or refusal to honour summons issued by a legislative
\nHouse or its committees; separation of the Offices of Attorney \u2013General of
\nthe Federation (and State) from Minister (and Commissioner) for Justice;
\namendment for the 180 days and 60 days respective timelines for filing of
\nelection petitions and delivery of judgement by tribunal (or court) to take
\nunforeseen events of force majeur into consideration; and the insulation of
\nmembers of the legislature from civil or criminal proceedings in respect of
\nwords spoken or written before the House or its committees.<\/p>\n
The deputy speaker in his highlights however informed the House that some
\nitems like autonomy for local government councils and the creation of an
\nindependent Auditor-General for the councils were rejected by two-thirds
\nmajority of the state legislatures.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
*House in Landmark Reforms to Make Education, Healthcare Free As Ihedioha Presents Report on Amended Constitution* Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha on Tuesday presented what can…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pointblanknews-investigations"],"yoast_head":"\n