Senate moves to establish North West Development Commission

A bill seeking the establishment of the North West Development Commission has been formally introduced in the Senate.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jibrin Barau (APC-Kano North), was read for the first time at plenary presided over by Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, on Thursday.

It is titled, “North West Development Commission (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2018 (SB. 712)”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the move came barely 24 hours after the Senate passed the South East Development Commission Bill 2018.

If passed by the Senate and signed into law along with the South East Development Commission Bill, this would bring to four the number of regional interventionist agencies in the country.

Already in existence is the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC), whose establishment bill received presidential assent in October, 2017.

NAN reports that four other bills passed second reading on the floor of the Senate on Thursday.

One of them is a Bill for an Act to repeal the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act and enact the Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards Act.

Sponsored by Sen. Donald Alasoadura (APC-Ondo Central), the Bill also seeks to re-establish the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority.

Also read for the second time was a Bill for an Act to establish the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Agency.

The Bill, which is sponsored by Sen. Philip Aduda (PDP-FCT), is also proposing the institution of the Federal Capital Territory insurance Scheme for all residents of the FCT.

Others are the Federal University, Uga, Anambra Establishment Bill 2018, sponsored by Sen. Andy Uba (APC-Anambra Central), and the FCT Health Care Board Establishment Bill 2018 sponsored by Aduda.