House Passes Bill To Amend Rivers Assembly Service Commission Law

The Rivers State House of Assembly at its 109th legislative sitting on Thursday passed a bill for a law to repeal the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission Amendment Law No. 3 of 2006; and to further amend the Principal Law of 1999 and other matters connected thereto.

Before passing the bill, the House debated on the pros and cons of the bill and thereafter, in line with the rules of the House, resolved into committee of the whole and gave the bill clause by clause considerations.

Deliberating on the bill, members commended the speaker and the sponsors, describing it as a staff-centered and staff-friendly bill.

Commenting on the bill, the speaker, Rt Hon Martin Chike Amaewhule stated that the bill is aimed at giving staff of the Assembly the opportunity to grow to the apogee of their career in the service like their counterparts in the other two arms of government.

The speaker explained that the power given to the Assembly in appointing the chairman and members of the Assembly Service Commission by the 1999 principal law was taken away and given to the Executive by the 2006 amendment, hence the repeal of the 2006 amendment law, stressing that the bill when passed would consolidate the independence of the legislature.

In another development, the House gave first reading to a bill sponsored by Hon Tekenari Granville, member representing Asari Toru Constituency 1.

The bill seeks to amend the Rivers State Education (Return of Schools) Law No 1 of 2005 by deleting from the Schedule “Kalabari Girls High School, Buguma.”

Earlier, the House, through a motion moved by Hon Lemchi Nyeche, member, representing Ikwerre Constituency, observed a minute silence in honour of the late Dr Herbert Wigwe, his wife, Chizoba and their son, Chizzy who died in a helicopter crash in the USA.

The speaker, Rt Hon Martins Amaewhule expressed deep condolences of the House to the Wigwe family, the people of Ikwerre local government and the state in general.