By Gift Chapi Odekina
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, has signed 20 bills passed by the House, including the Armed Forces of Nigeria Trust Fund Bill, 2021, for transmission to the Senate for concurrence.
Gbajabiamila signed the 20 bills at a brief ceremony in his office at the National Assembly on Monday, prior to their transmission to the Senate.
The 20 bills are among many other bills already passed by the House and forwarded to the Senate for concurrence before they are transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent.
The Armed Forces Bill seeks to establish the Armed Forces of Nigeria Trust Fund. It will provide special financial support for the Armed Forces, makes provision for regular training for personnel and the provision of security/defence equipment for effective defence of Nigeria’s territories and the fight against insurgency. The bill was passed by the House on October 13, 2021.
Another one is the National Agricultural Development Fund Bill, 2021, which seeks to establish the National Agricultural Development Fund to provide funding for agricultural development. It was also passed by the House on October 13, 2021.
Other bills the Speaker signed were the National Assembly Library Trust Fund Bill, 2021; Chartered Institute of Forensic and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria Bill, 2021; National Biotechnology Development Agency Bill, 2021; South West Development Commission Bill, 2021; North Central Development Commission Bill, 2021; North West Development Commission Bill, 2021, and the South East Development Commission Bill, 2021.
Also on the list were the Federal College of Education (Technical) Ako, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State Bill, 2021; Federal College of Agriculture Malumfashi Bill, 2021; Federal College of Education (Technical) Keana, Nasarawa State Bill, 2021; Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship Saki Bill, 2021; Federal University of Education Pankshin, Plateau State Bill, 2021; Federal Polytechnics Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021; and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
There were also the Usman Dan Fodio University Sokoto Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021; University of Maiduguri Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021; Federal University of Environmental and Technology Saakpenwa, Ogoni Bill, 2021, and Specialized National Dermatology Hospital Bill, 2021.
Once the 20 bills get to the Senate, the senators are expected to work on them and concur with the House before the National Assembly will forward them to the President for his assent, prior to the bills becoming laws.
