Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, on Wednesday signed into law nine different bills passed by the State House of Assembly, one of which was the “Borno State Social Investment Bill” which will provide legal backing for the state to provide special support to victims of Boko Haram attacks.
The governor signed eight other bills at a brief ceremony held at the council chambers of the Government House in Maiduguri.
The event had in attendance, principal officers of the Borno State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, AbdulKarim Lawan.
“The Social Investment Bill provides social services such as cash and consumable assistance to the victims of Boko Haram insurgency”, Zulum said.
Beside that bill, the Governor signed eight other bills into law. They include; Borno State Criminal Justice Administration Laws, The Borno State Penal Code Law, The Borno State Secondary Education Board Bill, Borno State Investment Protection Bill, Borno Primary Healthcare Development Bill, Borno State Drugs and Other Medical consumable Bill, Borno State Livestock Management Bill and the Borno Local Government Amendment Bill.
Governor Zulum explained that “the Borno State Criminal Justice Administration Law will address the increasing cases of rape and political thuggery and those found involved in political thuggery risk seven (7) years imprisonment and their sponsors will also not go unpunished”, he said.
Zulum also said “Borno State Investment Protection Bill seeks to provide the state the powers to tap the vast mineral deposit in the state.” while the drugs and medical consumable bills seek to address the problem of scams and reduce the issue of fake and counterfeit drugs.
The governor explained that a government agency will not only be distributing drugs to government health facilities but will also sell to private pharmacies and health facilities.
Zulum commended the State House of Assembly for the cordial working relationship with the executive arm.
He said within the last four years, the executive arm sent about 70 bills to both the 9th and 10th Assembly from which most were passed by the House and assented to by him.
Earlier before the governor’s signing of nine bills on Wednesday, Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. AbdulKarim Lawan, said of the nine bills being signed, “three of the Bills were from the 9th Assembly, while six bills were from the 10th Assembly and all these bills were passed by the 10th Assembly.”
The speaker recalled that in the 9th Assembly, the House received a total of 67 bills all of which were passed while other bills were passed by the 10th Assembly. He commended Governor Zulum for the cordial relationship between the House and the Executive.
