Stakeholders Task Reps On Speedy Passage Of Auctioneers Bill

Stakeholders in the auctioneering industry have urged the leadership of the National Assembly (NASS) to expedite action on the passage of a previous bill seeking to establish the Chartered Institute of Auctioneers of Nigeria (CIAN).

According to them, the bill had already been re-gazetted in November 2023 for consideration at the Committee of Whole on the floor of the House of Representatives and should be passed without further delay.

The Chartered Institute of Auctioneers of Nigeria Bill, initiated in 2013 during the 7th Assembly, was passed through Third Reading in the 8th and 9th Assembly by both chambers.

The institute, in a statement made available to journalists, queried the introduction of a bill titled “Auctioneers Registration Council of Nigeria HB1508 (Establishment) bill, 2024”, which was stepped down in the 9th Assembly but re-presented last week in the House.

The statement was jointly signed by the Institute’s Registrar/CEO, Adeleke Hassan; Lagos Chapter chairman of the CIAN, Hillary Nwaukor; President of United Auction House, Dr Jogunola Adeniyi Onabanjo.

The institute questioned the rationale behind the accelerated consideration of a bill that was introduced for First Reading last Wednesday. On Thursday, it was referred to the Committee of the Whole in contradiction to extant legislative practices and conventions.

It urged lawmakers to ensure adherence to due process and legislative practice and conventions, saying the new Auctioneers Registration Council bill (HB 1508) will lead to a double licensing arrangement which makes Auctioneers to be licensed at both the federal and state levels.

The Institute said the development will kill the profession and stifle its growth across the country. It added that no place in the world is licensing Auctioneers done at both the federal and state levels.

“At present, the Lagos State has its own auction laws which prescribed licensing fees; Kwara State Auction laws, Rivers State Auction laws, Ogun State Auction laws, Auctioneers laws Cap. 10 of Northern Nigeria, Kaduna State mortgage and foreclosure laws exist at state levels across the country.

“Each state already takes care of the issue of licensing Auctioneers, and there shouldn’t be any need to introduce another licensing body, as is currently being tabled before the Federal House of Representatives.

“Economic and Auction Experts have noted that the proposed bill HB 1508 conflicts with the provisions of the earlier CIAN bill (HB 1046), already passed in the eighth and ninth Assemblies, respectively.

“Members of the Certified Institute of Auctioneers Nigeria have again called for the passage of the Chartered Institute of Auctioneers of Nigeria (HB 1046) already reintroduced at the Committee of Whole in this 10th National Assembly.

“The reintroduced bill HB 1046 .. Chartered Institute of Auctioneers of Nigeria is meant to promote professionalism, regulation and control of Auctioneers body of skills and knowledge required for the profession was passed in the 8th and 9th National Assembly and sent to the President for assent.

“The Institute averred that Auction business in Nigeria is on Concurrent List of Nigerian Constitution just like what is obtainable in the United States of America where federalism is entrenched and each State has auction laws regulating auction business in their respective jurisdictions which is the best practice anywhere in the world where the concept of federalism is adopted as a form of government.

“Already, some States and Local Government Areas across Nigeria issue Auctioneers’ licenses with reciprocal recognition; therefore, there is no legal rationale for introducing a bill for federal licensing of Auctioneers anymore.

“To this end, the Auctioneers Registration Council Bill (HB 1508) should be stepped down because of its contradictions, unusefulness and irrelevance to the growth of the auction industry in Nigeria,” the statement added.