Senate Committee Holds Public Session On Proda Bill

In pursuant of the actualisation of the Project Development Agency Bill sponsored by Senator Patrick Ndubueze, the senator representing Imo North senatorial district the Senate Committee on Science and Technology under the Chairmanship of Senator Abbas, yesterday held a public and stakeholders interactive session towards the eventual passage of the Bill by the Senate.

The committee chairman Senator Abbas kick started the event with very robust introduction and was quickly followed by a more elaborate presentation of the need and core essence of the Bill at this moment in the nation’s economic and technical development.

Interested stakeholders and their representatives in attendance included:

The the DG of PRODA, Prof Francis Ndubuaku,alongside the high echelon of her management; The Nigerian Society of Engineers(NSE), as well as affiliate/associated professional bodies bodies to the Society; High powered representatives from Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria(COREN); A substantial section of the Media /Academia; Representatives of various science and technological Institutes, agencies, organizations, etc, who are first line beneficiaries of the services of PRODA.

All the discussants made very vital inputs towards fine-tuning the final content of the Bill, which will eventually be articulated and moved for the 3rd and final reading at the Committee of the whole Senate for ultimate passage.

In addition to the above industry discussants, Senator Ndubueze also had the full complement of all his colleagues in the Science and Technology Committee, led by the chairman, Senator Aminu Abass, as well as key SPN colleagues from the South East geopolitical zone (the immediate catchment area of the Agency), including Senators Orji Uzor Kalu(Abia) and Victor Umeh (Anambra).

They also made their respective invaluable contributions during the discussion session towards strengthening the content of the Bill.

Others major stakeholders in attendance from Senator Ndubueze’s Senatorial district, state and geopolitical zone are Hon Chidi Nwogu, former member of the House of Representatives, Barr Charles Ezekwem, an APC chieftain from Imo State, and Hon Jim Isilebo, Media/Public Relations Consultant.