•Refers nomination to committee
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The Senate yesterday commenced the process of confirming the re-appointment of Mr. Godwin Emefiele as the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for another term of five years as it referred the executive communication from President Muhammadu Buhari to that effect to its Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions.
The upper legislative chamber also yesterday passed seven bills after being read the third time.
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, at the resumption of plenary gave the committee headed by Senator Adebayo Ibrahim (Kwara South) one week to do further legislative work on the nominee and report back to plenary.
Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North), had earlier urged the Senate to consider the request of the president on the renewal of appointment of Emefiele in accordance with Section 8(1) and (2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.
The president had last Wednesday forwarded a letter to Saraki, seeking the approval of the Senate for the reappointment of Emefiele as CBN governor for second and final five-year tenure.
Senate Passes Seven Bills
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday passed seven bills after going through second and third readings at plenary. They include Labour Transportation Bill 2019; Chartered Institute of Auctioneers of Nigeria Bill 2019; National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (Establishment, etc) Bill 2019; and Council for Regulation of Travel and Tour Management Companies of Nigeria (Establishment, etc) Bill 2019.
Others are Dieticians Council of Nigeria (Est, etc) Bill 2019; Architects (Registration, etc) Cap A19 LFN 2004 Act (Amendment) Bill 2019 and Interpretation Act (Amendment) Bill 2019.
The Senate, however, referred the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (Amendment) Bill 2019 to its committee on Power headed by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe for further legislative work and is to report back within one week.
The Labour Transportation Bill, among others, approved N5million as the cost of fine for the indictment of any erring corporate body while the accused director shall also be fined with N200, 000.
All employers, according to the bill, must provide shelter at the various bus stops for their employees.
The passage of the bill was sequel to the consideration of report on a Bill for an Act to Provide for Adequate Transportation, Protection and Other Facilities for Employers in Nigeria to Restore the Dignity and Other Matters by the Senate Committee on Land Transport, chaired by Senator Olugbenga Ashafa (Lagos East) during plenary.
The fine for corporate body, according to the committee chairman, was raised from N1million to N5million to enhance safety measures for employees by their respective employers.
According to the bill, offences under this bill shall be tried by the industrial court, while any case of victimisation of an employee(s) should be reported to the Minister of Transportation.
Adopting the clause by clause report in the Committees of the Whole after presentation by Ashafa, the upper legislative chamber considered the inclusion of suitable and conducive vessels in the riverine areas for the purpose of conveying employees to and from work.
It also considered other safety measures which made it mandatory for employers to acquire well equipped vehicles with seat belts and at least a 46 inch high rail or enclosure on the sides and back of the vehicle.
Vehicles for conveying employees, it added must have lambs, brakes, horn, mirrors, windshield, turn signals and other safety equipments.”
“Every truck-type bus must have seats with backrests and must be provided with a minimum of 18 inches seat space for each passenger. Where the sitting is face to face, the aisle between the seats facing each other shall be 24 inches wide at the narrowest point”, it added.
The Senate also endorsed that all staff buses must be equipped with approved reflectors, fire extinguishers, carry a conspicuous mark on the outside of the number of passengers to be carried and shall not be allowed to carry more than the posted number.
It further said the vehicles “must have exit door that can be opened outward from both the interior and exterior of the vehicle”, adding that those designed for carriage of goods and animals be clearly marked “for goods only.”
