PMB Declines Assent To RMAFC Bill, 4 Others

President Muhammadu Buhari has declined assent to five more bills out of the lots transmitted to him by the National Assembly between November and December last year. In separate letters dated January 4, 2019, Buhari informed the Senate and the House of Representatives of his decision to reject the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission-RMAFC-(Amendment) Bill 2018 and four other bills. Others are the Maritime Security Operations Coordinating Board (Amendment) Bill 2018 and Bankruptcy, Insolvency Bill 2018, Federal Polytechnic (Amendment) Bill 2018 and the Energy Commission (Amendment) Bill 2018. Specifically, he stated in his letter of refusal of assent to the Maritime Security Operations Bill that the proposed amendments will create distortions and duplications with the functions and operations of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). On the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (Amendment) Bill, President Buhari in his letter of refusal of assent said the bill will interfere with and obstruct the smooth administration of revenue generating agencies of the federal government aside other infractions on extant laws. While citing drafting errors as reason for refusal of assent to Bankruptcy and Insolvency Bill, the president also kicked against the move to weaken his power in the approval and removal of governing council members of Federal Polytechnics as envisioned in the rejected Federal Polytechnic (Amendment) Bill 2018. On the rejected Energy Commission (Amendment) Bill, President Buhari said its provisions infringe on the Rural Electrification Agency’s power and mandates. He however transmitted to the federal lawmakers an executive bill titled: “Transmission of the Food Safety and Quality Bill 2018” for consideration and passage. This is even as he also forwarded to the Senate for confirmation, the appointment of Modibbo Hamman Tukur as director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).