A Bill for a Bye-Law to Appropriate the sum of Fifty Six Billion, Seven Hundred and Thirty Two Million, One Hundred and Thirty Six Thousand, One Hundred and Then Naira only (#56,732,136,110.00) for the services of the Seventeen Local Government Councils of Abia State of Nigeria, for the year ending 31st December, 2024 and for other related purposes have undergone it’s First and Second Reading in the Abia State House of Assembly, Wednesday.
The Bill, titled H.A.B 18: The Abia State of Nigeria Local Councils 2024 Appropriation Bill, 2024, sponsored by the Majority Leader, Okoro Uchenna Kalu, who in his lead debate, enumerated the merits of same, cited the 1999 Constitution (as altered) as empowering State Legislatures to make Bye-Laws for Local Government Councils, as it committed to the House Committee on Appropriation, who were mandated to report back to the House within a week.
Also during Plenary,H.A.B 19: The Abia State Tax Codification and Consolidation (Amendment No 2) Bill 2024, a Bill for a Law to Amend the Abia State Tax Codification and Consolidation Law No 7 of 2020 and other matters connected therewith, also sponsored by the Majority Leader, Okoro Uchenna Kalu scaled through First and Second Reading.
After some amendments in the Order Paper, consideration of same HAB 19 was deliberated on in the Committee of the Whole.
Debates seeking to amend Section 58 Sub Section 1 of the Principal Law, after meeting some brick walls as spotted by Nnamdi Chimdi Ibekwe of Bende North State Constituency, Boniface Isienyi of Ikwuano State Constituency and Lucky Udoka Nweke Johnson of Isuikwuato State Constituency, the Bill was scheduled for further legislative dissections in another legislative day.
Kalu Mba Nwoke of Ohafia South State Constituency vehemently insisted that the Legislature in the guise of any amendment must not cede it’s powers to any other Arm of Government, highlighting that the Principal Law which is sought to be amended ought to be further subjected to legislative surgery.
Plenary was adjourned to reconvene on the 23rd of July 2024.