On Wednesday, the House of Representatives convened in plenary to deliberate on a wide range of national issues spanning petitions, motions of urgent public importance, presentation and consideration of reports, and legislative progression.

Public Petitions

Three petitions from aggrieved citizens were presented before the House by:

Rep. Jesse Okey-Joe Onuakalusi (LP, Lagos), Rep. Bappa Aliyu Misau (APC, Bauchi) and Rep. Muhammed Buba Jajere (PDP, Yobe)

The petitions were referred to the House Committee on Public Petitions for legislative review.

Matters of Urgent Public Importance

Cancer Awareness

The House urged all levels of government to launch comprehensive breast cancer awareness campaigns in the month of October, continuing year-round education on prevention, symptoms, and screening.

Members also called for the integration of cancer education into school curricula and community programmes using traditional and social media.

Motion Sponsor: Rep. Blessing Chigeru Amadi (PDP, Rivers)

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)

The House tasked the Ministries of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, as well as the Budget Office, and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to immediately create a specific Budget Line for OSH Programmes across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), in line with international best practices and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3 and .

Motion Sponsor: Rep. Ogewu David Agada (APC, Benue)

Food Safety

The House urged relevant ministries and agencies to immediately conduct a nationwide review of highly hazardous pesticides.

Members also tasked regulatory agencies to strengthen regulation, monitoring, and enforcement on the importation, distribution, and use of pesticides, with particular attention to Highly Hazardous Pesticides, and to keep the list of banned pesticides updated at all times.

Motion Sponsor: Rep. Clement Jimbo (APC, Akwa Ibom)

Legislative Probe

Energy Security

The House resolved to constitute an Ad-hoc Committee to probe the circumstances surrounding the abandonment of a $35 Million Modular Refinery Project in Brass, Bayelsa State, four years after the reported investment by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

Motion Sponsor: Rep. Billy Famous Osawaru (APC, Edo)

Tax Compliance

Following a motion on the flagrant abuse of due process and non-compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act and Local Content Laws, the House mandated its relevant Committees to investigate specific allegations of violations of the NOGICD Act 2010, PIA, 2021, and Taxes and Levies Act by all Oil and Gas Companies operating in Imo State, and the status of implementation of the Host Development Trusts in the State.

Motion Sponsor: Rep. Chike Okafor (APC, Imo)

Legislative Progression of Bills

New Bills

Four bills were presented for First Reading, including the Armed Forces Bill, National Eye Centre, Ochadamu, Kogi State (Establishment) Bill, National Eye Centre, Jimeta, Adamawa State Bill, and the Bitumen Development Commission of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill.

Second Reading

A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to include Hospitality and Tourism under the Concurrent Legislative List, scaled Second Reading.

Sponsored by: Rep. Zakaria Dauda Nyampa (PDP, Adamawa)

Presentation and Consideration of Reports

Presentation of Reports

The House received three reports from the Committee on Health Institutions on Bills seeking to amend the Federal Medical Centres Act to establish new Centres in: Ido (Oyo State), Potiskum (Yobe State), and Damasak (Borno State).

Consideration of Reports

The House considered and adopted reports on:

A Bill to establish the Nigerian Police Force Pension Board (Committee on Police Affairs).

A Bill to establish the National Commission for Technology Transfer, Acquisition, and Promotion (Committee on Science and Technology).

The House also considered the reports and recommendations of the House Committee on Public Petitions and adopted as resolutions of the House, issues concerning: land acquisition, demolition, and compensation claims; alleged unlawful termination of appointment; non-payment of compensation to affected victims; non-inclusion in Host Community Development Trusts as provided in the PIA 2021; and wrongful dismissal from service.