• Makes budgetary provision for construction of 132 KVA electricity sub-station in Jigawa
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to upgrade correctional centres following the recent cases of jailbreaks recorded across the country.
The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved at plenary on Thursday by Hon. Muhammed Kazaure.
Moving the motion, the lawmaker said correctional centres are where convicted criminals are kept to make the society safe, thus it is dangerous for such convicts to be let loose.
Kazaure expressed concern that if adequate steps are not taken to re-arrest the escaped convicts and provide adequate security in correctional centres, some of the criminals who escaped may become more emboldened to the point of forming terrorist groups that would put the country in jeopardy.
He added that there was a need to upgrade the firearms of the security personnel guarding various correctional centres from AK-47 to General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) since those attacking the prisons now come with the same calibre of firearms as the security on ground.
The House resolved to “urge the federal government to rehabilitate and upgrade the correctional centres with the latest and sophisticated arms such as GPMG and automatic machine guns and latest security electric fence wires attached with shocking gadgets and highly sophisticated CCTV cameras”.
The House also urged the federal government to take over the payment of electricity bills of the correctional centres in Nigeria or exempt the centres from paying electricity bills.
It also mandated its Committee on Appropriations to include the rehabilitation and upgrade of the correctional centres in the 2022 budget estimates.
Meanwhile, the House has mandated its Committees on Appropriations and Power to make provisions for funds in the 2022 budget for the construction of a 132 KVA Electricity Sub-Station in Gwaram, Jigawa State.
The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Yusuf Galambi at the plenary Thursday.
Moving the motion, the lawmaker said the federal government appropriated N300 million in the 2016 budget for the takeoff of the project.
Galambi recalled that the president in 2016 sent a virement letter requesting that the money be transferred to a similar project and promised to provide adequate funds in the 2017 budget for the takeoff and completion of the 132 KVA electricity Sub-Station in Gwaram by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
He said according to Section 4(4) and item 13 Part II of the Concurrent Legislative List of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) provides that the National Assembly may make laws for the federation or any part thereof on electricity and the establishment of electric power stations and the generation and transmission of electricity in or to any part of the federation and from one state to another.
The lawmaker observed that the federal government, through the Electric Power Sector Reform Act, 2005 established TCN to issue transmission licence to operate, expand/upgrade transmission facilities for efficient and effective wheeling of generated power;
Galambi noted: “The 132 KVA Electricity Sub-Station in Gwaram, Jigawa State, if completed, will enhance sustainable economic activities that will provide more opportunities for individuals to improve their standards of living.”
He noted that despite being allocated land with Certificate of Occupancy (C of 0) by the Jigawa State government for commencement of the project, the TCN is yet to commence any visible action on the project.
The House mandated its Committees on Appropriations and Power to make provisions for funds in the 2022 budget for the construction of a 132 KVA Electricity Sub-Station in Gwaram, Jigawa State.
