Delegates begin consideration of reports tomorrow

By Henry Umoru, Levinus Nwabughiogu & Joseph Erunke

DELEGATES reconvened yesterday into plenary sessions three weeks after they broke into committees. However, they could not begin debates on the reports of the 20 standing committees. Seven of the committees are yet to submit their reports

The 12 committees that have submitted their reports are Citizen, Immigration and other related matters; Land Tenure National Boundaries; Social Sector; Environment; Law, Judiciary, Human rights and Law Reforms;  Economy, Trade and Investment; Religion; National Security; Devolution of Powers; Politics and Governance; Public Service; Foreign Policy and Diaspora Matters; Public Finance and Revenue; Science and Technology.

At yesterday’s plenary, the committees on Electoral Matters; Civil Society, Labour and Sports; Agriculture, Transport and others were unable to submit their reports to the Chairman of the Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi.

Speaking after receiving the reports, Conference Secretary, Dr. Valerie Azinge said that the reports would be distributed to the delegates for personal study before the commencement of general consideration on Wednesday, adding that the Secretariat would open a register for delegates who wish to make inputs either for or against or introduce new things into the reports.

She asked delegates who wanted to do any of these to signify by writing down their names with subsequent publication in the Order Paper. Tomorrow, according to her, delegates will consider reports of the committees on Immigration and Related Matters; Religion; Environment and Land Tenure and National Boundaries.

She continued: “12 reports have been submitted and we have 8 outstanding. We do intend to distribute those we already have. Those that have gotten to us, we do intend to give you today. We do not intend to study all reports in one day. We employ you to read the report. Those who wish to speak in favour should indicate so. Those for against should also do so.”

Meanwhile, following protest from some delegates that the reports were yet to be distributed, Deputy Chairman of the Conference, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, assured the delegates that as they reconvene on Wednesday, all the reports will be on their seats before the start of proceedings at 10am.