Reps Seeks To Establish Council For Dependent Nigerians

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed for a second reading, a bill for an Act to establish the National Council for Public Assistance to Widows, Dependent Children and Orphans.Consequently, the bill was forwarded to the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development for further legislative actions.The bill sponsored by member representingIlorin East/Southof Kwara state, Hon. Abubakar Amuda-Kannikeseeks to establish a welfare trust fund and management commission for the effective management of the welfare of unemployed and people with disability.The bill also seek to provide for the aged, youths,compensation for citizens deprived of means of livelihood, poor families forced relocation, retirement with medical subsidy.Abubakarexplained that the bill seeks to establish National Social Security and Welfare Board and vest it with the responsibility for the control and administration assistance to enhance the welfare of the poor citizens.Chairman of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Hon. Nicholas Ossai Ossai in his contribution to the debate observed that bill, if enacted will usurp functions of local government councils and as such should not be encouraged.He also observed that the bill was discriminatory as it does no seek to provide for all Nigerians but a particular section of the citizens.According to him, for a law to be enacted in the country, it has to be guided by the constitution.But the member representingKazaure/Roni/Gwiwa/Yankwashi federal constituencyof Jigawa state,Mohammed Kazaure, in a sharp contrast with Ossai s position described the bill as the bill of the year as it seeks to provide support for those at the very downtrodden.He explained the bill would benefit the masses as as it targets orphans, widows, disabled, aged, unemployed and victims of terrible circumstances like insurgency.According to him, the local governments over the years have not been able to cater for the vulnerable and there is nothing wrong to provide help from the Federal level.Kazaure said the Executive would be pleased to sign the bill into law saying that the Government of Change was looking for sustainable social safety nets to support the masses.
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