Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has faulted government officials who shun invitations to public hearings on proposed bills only to later misadvise President Muhammadu Buhari to refuse assent to same when finally passed by the National Assembly.
Lawan spoke at a public hearing by the Senate Committee on Health from which both the Minster of Health, Dr. Osagie Ohanire and the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora were absent despite being invited.
The public hearing was for the proposed bill for the establishment of a National University of Health and Medical Sciences, Suleja Niger State; the proposed bill for an Act to amend the Orthopedic Hospital Management Board Act No. 21 of 1971 to provide for the establishment of a Federal Orthopedic Hospital, Kuta, Niger State; and a proposed bill for the establishment of the Federal University of Medical Sciences Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Lawan lamented the absence of the ministers or their representatives at the public hearing, noting that the absence of such relevant authorities at the public hearings to give their opinions was responsible for President Buhari’s non-assent to some bills passed by the National Assembly.
According to him, the said ministry officials prefer to air their opinions to the President rather than at public hearings.
“…sometimes, the National Assembly would process a bill and the bill will be taken to Mr. President for his assent and somebody will just go round and misadvise him that that bill should not be assented to. And this is done mostly by ministry officials. So, it is always in the interest of government and good governance that when there is a public hearing, the ministry, government officials — the technical people – should be around to hear the views of the people. And if they have any objection, they should say so in the presence of everyone, they should listen to arguments. It is sad that neither the Minister, nor the Minister of State, nor anyone from the Federal Ministry of Health is here to attend this particular public hearing…”
He, however, advised that the proposed bills in debate should be assented to by the President as the National Assembly had taken all the necessary steps and procedures.
Since May 29, 2015, when Buhari assumed office, he has rejected over 50 bills passed by the 8th and 9th Assemblies.
Some of the rejected bills are the National Broadcasting Commission (amendment bill) of 2017; the Petroleum Governance Bill of 2018; the fourth amendment bill of the 1999 Constitution of 2018. Recently, Buhari failed to assent to the Anti-corruption Federal Audit bill, which has been passed since 2018.
