Abia State House of Assembly Plenary for Tuesday, 23rd February, 2021

Hon Solomon Akpulonu, Majority Leader of the House and Member representing Obingwa East State Constituency said the opening prayer.

The Abia State House of Assembly commenced plenary after the adoption of Votes and Proceedings of Monday, 22nd February, 2021, as a working document of the House.

NOTICE OF MOTION{1}  H.A.M. 14: Motion on the Need to Re-introduce History in Basic School Curriculum of Abia State Sponsored by Hon Jerry Uzosike, Member representing Umuahia South State Constituency.

The Speaker of the House deferred the motion to be considered on another legislative date.

ORDER OF THE DAY
{1} H.A.M. 13 : Motion on the need to cede Abia State Polytechnic Aba and Abia State College of Education {Technical} Arochukwu to Federal Government of Nigeria.

The Sponsor of the Motion, Hon Solomon Akpulonu said education is the bedrock of every human society and the livewire of a developing economy which importance cannot be over emphasized as it engenders positive societal development.

He further explained that education helps in preparing individuals in a society to be better citizens as well prepares them for the future as it is the basis for empowerment and acquisition of basic skills needed to manage one’s life in a vast economy.

The Leader of the House said in developing countries like ours, government is the major provider of educational facilities, and the Federal Government of Nigeria sites Federal Institutions across the 36 States of the country to service the educational needs of States where such institutions are situated.

Hon Akpulonu further enumerated that it is a known fact that the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike {MOUAU} is the only Federal Institution in Abia State unlike other sister States with two or more Federal Institutions.

He narrated that Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, is an Agriculture-based University and is not able to satisfy the other academic yearnings of teeming youths in the State who wish to offer conventional courses outside Agriculture.

He said that Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, and the College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, that complement the education needs of the State do not function optimally due to lack of funds since the State is hampered by limited funds available to cater for numerous other needs.

He summarized by saying that it has become an urgent need for more of Federal Government presence to be felt in the State through the taking over of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, and College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, so that they can be adequately funded as well as function optimally.

He therefore prayed that the Honourable House request the State Governor to urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to takeover Abia State College of Education {Technical} and Abia State Polytechnic, Aba and make them Federal Institutions.

RESOLUTION
After contributions from Members, the Speaker, Rt Hon Engr Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji thanked his Colleagues for their insights in their contributions, saying he is supporting the prayer of the sponsor of the motion wholly.

H.A.B. 32: The Abia State Office of Surveyor General Bill, 2020 sponsored by Hon Solomon Akpulonu.

A Bill for a Law to Provide for the Establishment of the Office of the Surveyor General of Abia State and for other Matters Connected therewith {Second Reading, Fourth Allotted Time}.

After contributions from the Members, the Speaker  committed the Bill to the Committee of the Whole for further deliberations.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
The House dissolved into the Committee of the Whole to consider the following:
{1}  Consideration of the Report of the Committee on NDDC/ASOPADEC and Petroleum Matters on the Petition titled “Illegal Excavation of Crude Oil {Bunkering}, acts likely to cause Breach of Peace at our Oil Palm Plantation Farm Land in Igiri-Ukwu Autonomous Community in Ukwa West Local Government Area”.

{2} Consideration of the Report of the House Committee on  Public Utilities on H.A.B. 30: The Abia State Water and Sewage Development Bill, 2020.
{3} Consideration of H.A.B. 21: A Bill for a Law to Establish Abians in Diaspora Commission and for other Matters Incidental thereto.

RESOLUTIONS
After deliberations by Members, Chairman of the Committee of the Whole consolidated and adopted the recommendations of the reports of the Committees on:
{a} NDDC/ASOPADEC and Petroleum Matters on the Petition titled “Illegal Excavation of Crude Oil {Bunkering}, acts likely to cause Breach of Peace at our Oil Palm Plantation Farm Land in Igiri-Ukwu Autonomous Community in Ukwa West Local Government Area”.

{b}  Report of the House Committee on Public Utilities on H.A.B. 30: The Abia State Water and Sewage Development Bill, 2020.

With the Motion of the Majority Leader, Hon Solomon Akpulonu, which was seconded by the Minority Leader, Hon Sir Abraham Oba, the House reverted back to full Plenary.

After reporting progress of what happened at the Committee of the Whole, the Majority Leader, Hon Solomon Akpulonu moved for the further amendment of the Order Paper to accommodate the Third Reading of H.A.B. 32.

“Honorable Colleagues, this Law might be cited as the Abia State Office of the Surveyor General Law” the Speaker said.

Subsequently, H.A.B. 32 : The Abia State Office of the Surveyor General Bill, 2020 was passed into Law.

H.A.B. 21: A Bill for a Law to Establish Abians in Diaspora was deferred to be considered on another Legislative date.

The House adjourned Plenary to reconvene on Monday 8th, March, 2021.

Courtesy: Media Unit, Office of the Rt Hon Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly.