The House of Representatives has asked the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to explain why the Federal Government is proposing to bring major paramilitary agencies in Nigeria under one governing board.
The Senate and the House are currently considering an executive bill transmitted by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to the National Assembly seeking to establish the Civil Defence, Correctional, Federal Fire and Immigration Services Board.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; and Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, had read Buhari’s letter on the executive bill dated February 9, 2022, at the plenary on February 15, 2022.
The cover letter read in part, “Pursuant to Section 58(2) of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), I forward, herewith, the Civil Defence, Correctional, Federal Fire and Immigration Services Board Bill, 2022, for the kind consideration of the Senate.
“The Civil Defence, Correctional, Federal Fire and Immigration Services Board Bill, 2022 seeks to establish the Civil Defence, Correctional, Federal Fire and Immigration Services Board to adequately reflect the current relationship between the Board, Corps and the Services and align their composition, structure, functions and practices to attain the intended mandate of the services.”
The President expressed hope that the bill would receive the “usual” expeditious consideration of the Senate and the House.
On Friday, Aregbesola appeared before the House.
Majority Leader of the House, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, who presided over the investigative hearing, said it was necessary for lawmakers to seek explanation on some provisions of the proposed amendment, especially why the ministry “wants all these large entities put under one board.”
Ado-Doguwa also said, “Another provision in the bill is seeking the appointment of four commissioners for the board which, in our view, could be a financial burden on government’s purse.”
Aregbesola, who was accompanied by some management staff of the ministry, told the lawmakers that the amendment of the Nigeria Immigration and Prisons Board Act was to enable inclusion of Civil Defence and the Federal Fire Service.
The minister stated that the aim was to “align the functions and structure of the organisations.”
Aregbesola added that the executive bill was “seeking amendment to the Nigeria Immigration and Prisons Governing Board, to bring the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp and the Federal Fire Service under the purview of the board to conform with related laws and practices.”
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