The Delta State House of Assembly will tomorrow Monday 9th September 2024 hold Public hearings on two Bills presently undergoing legislative process in the Assembly.
The bills include a bill for a Law to Prohibit all Forms of Human Trafficking in the state and a bill for a Law to Enact and Consolidate the Law relating to the Licensing, Control and Registration of Pets in the state.
The public hearings are billed for 10am and 2:00 pm, respectively, at the Press Center, Delta Assembly Complex, Okpanam road, Asaba.
On the Delta State Human Trafficking Prohibition Bill, the Chairman Assembly Committee on Housing, Women Affairs, Girl Child Entrepreneur and Humanitarian Support Services, Hon Bridget Anyafulu, called for memoranda from critical stakeholders as their input is key to the enactment of the proposed law.
Hon Anyafulu in a statement said, “The public is hereby informed that at the Delta State House of Assembly sitting on Wednesday, 3rd July, 2024, the Delta State Human Trafficking (Prohibition) Bill, 2024 was read the second time and committed to the House Committee on Housing, Women Affairs, Girl Child Entrepreneur and Humanitarian Support Services for scrutiny.
“Pursuant of its mandate, the Committee will welcome written contributions on
the Bill from interested organizations such as, Ministry of Justice, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Adviser to the Governor on Human Trafficking Matters, Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Community Support Services and Girl Child Development, Ministry of Youth Development, and Ministry of Information.
“Others include the Delta State Job & Wealth Creation Office, Delta State Orientation Bureau, the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Immigration Service, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Traditional Rulers’ Council, NGO’s that specialize in counter-trafficking of persons, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Directorate of Peace and Security and the general public”.
Hon Anyafulu who represents Oshimili South Constituency in the House in the statement, said all memoranda should be in ten copies enclosed in sealed envelopes, addressed to the Committee marked “Delta State Human Trafficking Prohibition Bill” and forwarded to reach the Clerk of the Committee on or before close of work on Monday, 9th September, 2024.
“The Committee also wishes to invite interested organizations and the general
public to the public hearing on Monday, 9th September, 2024 at 10:00am at the Press
Centre, Assembly Complex, Asaba”, the Lawmaker stated.
Similarly the Chairman, House of Assembly committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Perkins Umukoro, in a statement on Pets Control Bill, recalled that the Speaker, Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor had at the sitting of the House on Tuesday 2nd July, 2024, referred the bill to a joint committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Health, Environment, Oil and Gas for further legislative scrutiny.
Hon Umukoro therefore requested relevant stakeholders, particularly the Delta State Ministries of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Health, Environment, Oil and Gas as well as Justice to submit memoranda to the Committee on or before the date for public hearing.
The statement also urged Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as well as the State Chapter of Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association to be part of the public hearing by forwarding memoranda to the committee.
All memoranda according to Hon Umukoro who represents Sapele Constituency and Chief Whip of the House, should be in 12 copies and, enclosed in sealed envelope.
Such memoranda, the statement adds, should be addressed to the Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources and marked; “Delta State Pet Control and Responsible Ownership Bill, 2024 and to reach the Clerk of the committee before Monday, 9 September, the date for the public hearing.