BREAKING:  I won’t Approve 2021 Budget Without Provisions For #EndSARS Victims, ASUU – Gbajabiamila

BREAKING: I won’t Approve 2021 Budget Without Provisions For #EndSARS Victims, ASUU – Gbajabiamila

Leke Baiyewu, Abuja

The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, has said he will not sign the 2021 Appropriation Bill presently before the National Assembly if provisions are not made for the compensation of the families of victims of police brutality in the last decade.

Gbajabiamila also said he would also not sign the budget if implementation of the agreement between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government is not captured by the budget.

Both the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate sign bills passed by the National Assembly before they are transmitted to the President for assent.

In his opening remarks at the plenary on Tuesday, the Speaker notes that the #EndSARS protests “have gotten more serious” with pockets of violence in parts of the country.

According to him, the protests “seem to have hijacked” by those who have a different agenda.

Gbajabiamila noted that the Federal Government, through the National Human Rights Commission, had set up a panel of enquiry to take complaints from victims of police brutality.

According to the Speaker, none of these have convinced the agitators to suspend the protests.

ALSO READ---  Imo Government Suspends Collection Of Daily Tickets

He pointed out that expectations from the ruling class

were high, stating that, “Our people expect action and we just deliver.”

Gbajabiamila recalled that the House, after debating the issues with the Nigeria Police Force and the #EndSARS protests, met with the Nigerian Bar Association last week.

He said the President of NBA, Olumide Apata, had also set up a panel led by Prof Deji Adekunle (SAN) to work with the House on how to amend and create laws to reform the police.

The Speaker also disclosed that the House is considering the establishment of an independent body that investigate and recommends errant security operatives for sanction and prosecution.

““The police cannot be above the citizens…and above the law,” he stated.While threatening to withhold his signature to the appropriation bill, Gbajabiamila disclosed that he would be leading a delegation of lawmakers to pay condolence visits to families of some of those killed by the police, stressing that they would be honoured after the visits.The Speaker, however, urged #EndSARS protesters to be cautious in handling the matter. He partly said, “Don’t let your righteous cause be hijacked…and bring our nation to its needs…This is the time to move your agitation from the streets”

ALSO READ---  Imo Guber Debate: Okey Ezeh Floors Ihedioha, Okorie, Others.

PUNCH

About author

You might also like

News

Yuletide: Imo Govt advises youths to shun drug abuse, avoid criminality

The Imo Government has advised youths of the state to shun drug abuse so as to avoid the tendency of criminality as they celebrate Christmas. The Special Adviser to Gov.

News

University Don, Utchay Okorji, bags Fellowship Award from BACOTHO

By Eleugu Mgbemgasa…  A lecturer in the Department of Estate Management, Rivers State University, Portharcourt, Dr. Utchay Okorji, has been decorated with a Fellowship Award by Baptist College of Theology

News

Imo SDP: Anyanwu Dismisses Rift with Okey Ezeh

SAYS: MISCHIEF-MAKERS TRYING TO CREATE IMAGINARY WAR BETWEEN FATHER AND SON By Ikenna Obiwuru, OWERRI An Imo SDP chieftain, Dr. Casmir Anyanwu has distanced himself from any publication purporting that

News

Messi, Neymar and the team of the Champions League group stage

The former Barcelona team-mates were among the stars of this opening phase, while there is a surprise inclusion between the posts…      Evan Horvath | Club Brugge While the

News

Former Petroleum Minister, Tam David-West, dies at 83

Professor David-West, former minister of Petroleum Resources and a consultant Virologist of national and international standing and lecturer at the University of Ibadan for decades, is dead. He on Monday

News

World Communication Day: Pope Francis Urges Media Professionals To Exemplify Truth

By Eleugu Mgbemgasa… As the globe marks World Communication Day, media professionals have been urged to exemplify truth, social justice and equality for peace, cordiality, comfort and prosperous of the

0 Comments

No Comments Yet!

You can be first to comment this post!

Leave a Reply