By JAMES KWEN
President Muhammadu Buhari has transmitted the Federal Produce Inspection Service Bill to the House of Representatives for consideration and passage into law.
The request was contained in a letter from the president read by speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila at resumed plenary on Wednesday.
Buhari said the bill seeks to provide for the inspection and enforcement of grades and quality standards of produce and commodities intended for import into or export from Nigeria at ports of shipment.
“Pursuant to Section 58(2) of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), I forward herewith, the Federal Produce Inspection Service Bill for the kind consideration of the House of Representatives.
“The Federal Produce Inspection Service Bill seeks to provide for the inspection and enforcement of grades and quality standards of produce and commodities intended for import into or export from Nigeria at Ports of Shipment and for related matters.
“While I hope that the request will receive the usual expeditious consideration of the House, Please accept, Mr. Speaker, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
Also at plenary, the House condemned the gruesome killing of Omobolanle Raheem, a lawyer who was shot dead in Lagos by policemen on Christmas Day.
The lawmakers who demanded thorough investigation into the killing, said police officers should be banned from consuming alcohol and other hard substances that is capable of inhibiting their sense of reasoning.
These resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by, Babajide Obanikoro. (APC, Lagos)
Moving the motion, Obanikoro lamented that on the fateful day, without any altercation one of the officers shot Mrs Raheem who was seven months pregnant with twins, on the spot.
He expressed concerns that “the same incident happened on December 7th by officers from the same police station, who gunned down a young man which sparked unrest.”
The lawmaker worried that this “type of occurrence happens often across Nigeria, and the officers usually get away with killing innocent citizens they swore to protect.”
Adopting the motion, the lawmakers insisted that the Nigerian Police Act on the general conduct of the police officers should be reviewed.
