President Muhammadu Buhari has communicated his decision to decline presidential assent to four bills passed by the National Assembly.
President Buhari communicated this through a letter which he sent to the House of Representatives and was read during plenary on Thursday.
Speaker of the House Representatives Yakubu Dogara, during the proceedings, read the letter to the House.
The bills include Corporate Manslaughter Bill, 2018, Agricultural Credit Scheme Bill, 2018, National Child Protection Bill, 2018 and Court and Tribunal Standard Scale Fines Bill, 2018.
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Dogara told the House that President Buhari in his letter said he rejected the Corporate Manslaughter Bill because its provisions were inconsistent with the 1999 constitution.
Buhari also said he declined to assent the agricultural credit scheme (amendment) bill on the ground of increase of the credit by the National Assembly, which was initially tagged at N100 million to N50 billion. He added that he is ready to grant assent to this if it is rectified.
The President added that the National Child Protection and Enforcement Agency bill is a duplication of duties of existing agencies such as the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). He noted that it would merely duplicate the functions of already established agencies and the Ministry of Women Affairs
He also did not approve the court and tribunal bill which he described as “ambiguous” and conflicting with extant laws.
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