Abia State House of Assembly Plenary for Tuesday, 16th March, 2021

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Welcome to another Legislative Day at the Abia State House of Assembly.

The Speaker, Rt Hon Engr Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji led the Principal Officers into the Hallowed Chambers.

Hon Obinna Ichita Martin, Member representing Aba South State Constituency led the opening prayer.

The Abia State House of Assembly commenced plenary after the adoption of Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, 9th March, 2021.

ANNOUNCEMENT

The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Engr Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji read out a letter from Hon Mike Onyekwere Ukoha, Member representing Arochukwu State Constituency who tendered his resignation from the All Progressive Grand Alliance { APGA}.

He said he is resigning from the Party because of deep internal and irreconcilable crises that have rocked the party for years. He also said that there have been divisions and factions plaguing the party for a long time.

MATTER OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

Hon Mike Onyekwere Ukoha, Member representing Arochukwu State Constituency brought up a Matter of Urgent Public Importance to the House about a devastating reoccurring security breach in Arochukwu. He narrated that on Saturday, 13th March, 2021, his people were attacked by their neighbors from Igbanja in Akwa Ibom State, which led to the beheading of an Arochukwu man by the invading marauders. Ukoha described the situation as “unimaginable in this 21st century”.

In his prayers, Hon Ukoha urged the House to assist his Constituents by calling on the Members of the National Boundary Commission to intervene in the lingering crisis, suggesting that the Commission should invite all parties to the crisis including neighboring communities in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States to find a lasting solution to the in the issue.

RESOLUTION

After contributions from Members, the Speaker said he is saddened over the gruesome murder of Abians by unscrupulous elements from their sister states because of boundary disputes.

“We have been having skirmishes and serious border crises; last week, it was the massacre of Abians in Ikwuano, today it is a beheading of an Abian in Arochukwu. I don’t hear this Matter of Urgent Public Importance raised in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly as to any Akwa Ibom Indigene being killed by Abians. It is only a one sided intervention that we are here considering possible solutions to our people being killed.

“Such development can only signify one thing: that we are a peace loving people.

“We are calling on the National Boundary Commission as a matter of urgency to come into the State to sort out this skirmishes that are needlessly claiming the lives of our people. They should not wait till when there is a full blown war between these communities before they mobilize and perform their constitutional responsibility”, the Speaker admonished.

Continuing, Rt Hon Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji said many communities in the State have been negatively affected by similar border crises. “This is not acceptable to the Abia State House of Assembly because we do not want to start preaching self-defense because when you do that it might get out of hand, it might lead to break down of law and order and lives will be lost. So, we will continue to use the right means to call on the Federal Government, the National Boundary Commission and all other relevant agencies, to as a matter of urgency come in and sort this boundary disputes out before they degenerate further.

“That Abia State is not retaliating does not mean that our people are cowards or not able to defend themselves.

“The National Boundary Commission should call a joint meeting of the affected states; we also call on the Deputy Governor who is in charge of Boundary matters in the State to continue to reach out to his colleagues in the other states so that lasting peace will be achieved.

NOTICE OF PRESENTATION OF BILL.

H.A.B. 38 : The Abia State Safety Management and Building Control Agency Bill, 2021 sponsored by Hon Ginger Onwusibe, Member representing Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency.

A Bill for a Law to Establish the Abia State Safety Management and Building Control Agency passed its First Reading.

ORDER OF THE DAY

H.A.B. 30: The Abia State Water and Sewage Development Bill sponsored by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon Solomon Akpulonu.

A Bill for a Law to provide for the Development and Regulation of Abia State Water and Sewage/ Sanitation and Hygiene Sector; through the Establishment of the Abia State Rural Water and Sanitation Agency.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

In a motion moved by the Majority of the House, Hon Solomon Akpulonu and seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon Chukwu Chijioke, the House dissolved into the Committee of the Whole to consider the following.

i. Continuation of the Consideration of H.A.B. 21: A Bill for a Law to Establish Abians in Diaspora Commission.

Consideration of H.A.B. 6
: A Bill for a Law to Establish the Abia State Consumer Protection Agency was deferred to be considered on another Legislative Day.

With the Motion of the Majority Leader, Hon Solomon Akpulonu which was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon Chukwu Chijioke, the House reverted back to full plenary.

After reporting progress of proceedings at the Committee of the Whole, the Speaker said “Honorable Colleagues, this Law might be cited as the Abia State Water and Sewage Sector Development Law and shall come into force this day, 16th of March, 2021.

Subsequently, H.A.B. 30: The Abia State Water and Sewage Development Bill, 2020 was passed into Law.

ADJOURNMENT

Hon Solomon Akpulonu, Deputy Majority Leader of the House, moved that plenary be adjourned to another Legislative
Day.

The Deputy Minority Leader seconded the motion.

Plenary was adjourned to Monday, 22nd of March,2021.