The Senate has begun moves to revitalise the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) as the bill seeking to establish NEPAD Commission passes second reading in the Senate.
The sponsor of the bill, Senator Simeon Ajibola recalled how NEPAD was adopted as a policy development framework in 2001 in response to the problem of poor governance in Africa.
However, the Senator noted that despite the initiation of NEPAD, the implementation of its objectives has been confronted with a number of challenges which he claimed has now necessitated the need to establish a commission.
Also supporting the bill, Senate deputy leader, Abdul Ningi, expressed concern that since former President Olusegun Obasanjo left office in 2007, the structure of NEPAD had been weakened.
Moves to stop funding of illegal institution
The Senate has also condemned the appropriation of funds for government institutions and agencies which exist without legal backing.
This was a major issued raised when a bill for an act to establish the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun was debated during the plenary on Tuesday.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu observed that a number of institutions and universities such as the Petroleum Training Institute, University of Uyo and River Basin Authorities are not backed by law.
