VALEDICTORY SESSION: GOV FAILED TO SIGN PRIVATE MEMBER BILLS— ANAMBRA 7TH ASSEMBLY LAMENTS
REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE
The 7th Anambra State House of Assembly says it achieved some measure of success in the areas of the number of bills passed during its four year legislation.
Speaker of the House, Mr. Uche Okafor, stated this during a valedictory session held at the legislative Chambers, Awka.
The Speaker, l said the bills were people-oriented and had brought about remarkable legislative improvement and service delivery in the state.
According to Mr. Okafor, the seventh Assembly passed 50 landmark bills while the members also embarked on impactful constituency projects and empowerment programmes.
In his remark, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyeka Ibezim, commended the legislative arm for conducting themselves peacefully and ensuring thorough scrutiny and oversight function, which had kept the executive organ on its toes.
The Valedictory session was not without mixed feelings as the law makers took turns to recall their experiences in the last four years even as they expressed regret about the death of two of their members during their four year reign.
The member representing Ogbaru constituency Two, Mr. Noble Igwe, while extolling his colleagues, pointed out the need for the in-coming eight Assembly to revisit the Amended Traditional Rulers Law to re-amend some portions of it.
For his part, Mr. Smart Okafor representing Nnewi North constituency, lamented that despite the achievements made by the law makers, no private member bill was assented to by the executive arm of government.
The Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr. Obinna Emeneka, observed that though there had been good budget presentations, and robust legislative oversights, there was the need for the incoming lawmakers to collaborate with the executive to achieve a more realistic budget that would meet the blueprint of the government.
Other law makers, including Mr. Onyebuchi Offor representing Ekwusigo and Dr. Pete Ibida of Njikoka constituency II, thanked their constituents for the opportunity to serve them.
They commended the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, (PASAN) of the Anambra State House of Assembly for their diligence and assistance to the lawmakers.
Of the twenty eight remaining members of the 7th Assembly, only eight will be part of the 8th Assembly, which is expected to be inaugurated on June 12.
The Head of Service, Mrs.Theodora Igwegbe and a former Special Adviser on National and State House of Assembly Matters, Mr. Kenneth Anazodo, were among dignitaries that attended the event, which started with a Valedictory Mass.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
