Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday passed into law eleven out of the fifteen proposed amendment bills transmitted to it by the National Assembly on the amendment of the 1999 constitution under review.
The planned Constitution amendment tagged Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fourth Alteration) Bills 2017 was read on the floor of the hallowed chamber yesterday by the Clerk of the House, Mr. Bode Adeyelu.
The bills were unanimously passed into law after a brief executive session at the plenary sitting presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Bamidele Oleyelogun.
The other four of the bills were deferred for public hearing which will soon be held.
One of the passed bills was financial autonomy to the state House of Assembly.
The Speaker said the public hearing on the remaining four bills was needed and would afford the relevant stakeholders make inputs and contributions on the proposed amendment before their passage into law.
The House also unanimously resolved that the resolution of the hallowed chamber be transmitted to the National Assembly.
Speaking on the bills shortly after the plenary, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Rt. Hon. Fatai Olotu, said the Fourth Alteration Number 2 in the proposed amendment bills which was also passed reduced the number of months within which the President or the Governor can spend money from the budget before the passage by National or State Assembly to three months from six months.
Hon. Olotu noted that the development was to encourage early presentation and passage of Appropriation.
He added that the deferred bills are critical and needed public hearing.
Among the deferred bills was local government autonomy.
Fourth Alterations Number 2, 4, 8, 9, 15, 16, 20, 21, 24, 27 and 28 were unanimously passed into law by the House, while Fourth Alterations Number 5, 6,14 and 22 were referred for public hearing.
