Reps emphasise need for proper management of ecological funds
A bill for an Act to establish the Coastal Erosion and Flood Control Commission, on Tuesday, scaled through the second reading at the House of Representatives.
The bill seeks to provide for the establishment of the coastal erosion and flood control commission.
It also seeks to vest the proposed commission with the responsibility and management of coastal erosion and flood.
Leading debate on the merits of the bill, Rep. Uzoma Abonta (PDP-Abia) said the proposed legislation would ensure that ecological problems were properly managed with ecological funds.
“I think that the management of ecological funds should be channelled to an agency to manage it. The problem of flood cannot be over emphasised. Both locally and internationally, we have seen the devastating effect of flood,” he stressed.
He urged his colleagues to support the bill, saying the establishment of a commission would assist in the management of ecological funds.
Rep. Leo Ogor (PDP-Delta), in his contribution, commended Abonta for his efforts in seeking a solution to the problem of flooding in the country.
Ogor, who is the Deputy House Leader, said that it was imperative to set up a commission to monitor and address the issue of flooding in Nigeria.
Rep. Nkiruka Onyejeocha (PDP-Abia) agreed with Ogor that the bill “will go a long way to manage the problem of flooding”.
The Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, referred the bill to the House Committee on Environment for further legislative action.
The House also cleared, at the second reading, a bill to prohibit the movement of certain articulated vehicles on Nigerian roads from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Ossai Ossai (PDP-Delta), was referred to the House Committee on Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and Justice for more input.
