The Senate Thursday has officially extended the submission of memoranda by interested members of the public for the review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria till Friday, September 25.
This is just as the total number of the memo sent by individuals and groups to the Senate committee on constitution review rose from 68 on Wednesday to 95 yesterday.
The upper legislative chamber had on Wednesday unofficially extended the submission of Memoranda by one week due to some pressure mounted on the Deputy President of the Senate, Senate Ovie Omo-Agege, who also doubles as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review.
It took another dimension yesterday when the committee came up with an official statement extending the memoranda submission by two weeks.
The committee said the latest extension was in response to appeals by stakeholders from various parts of the federation, who were seeking an extension to enable them to submit their memo.
A statement issued yesterday evening by the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate indicated that memoranda will now be received until Friday, September 25, 2020.
Giving further explanations, the statement added that the extension of the deadline would accommodate those who requested for more time to bring their memoranda forward.
The request for extension of the deadline was approved as part of measures to further strengthen the constitution review process and widen opportunities for more groups and individuals to be involved.
According to the release, all proposals or memoranda, as earlier stated, are to be submitted to the Secretariat of the Committee in Room 0.28, Senate New Wing at the National Assembly Complex. Abuja.
“The general public, Executive and Judicial bodies, Civil Society Organisations, professional bodies and other interest groups are expected to submit memoranda or proposals for further alteration(s) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) towards promoting good governance and welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of freedom”, noted an earlier statement issued on the matter.
The statement further clarified that the memoranda being expected should focus on any of the following 13 thematic areas: gender equality for women and girls; federal structure and power devolution; local government and its autonomy; public revenue, fiscal federation and revenue allocation; Nigerian Police and Nigerian security architecture as well as comprehensive judicial reforms.
Others are: electoral reforms; socio-economic and cultural rights as contained in Chapter 2 of the Constitution; strengthening the Independence of oversight institutions and agencies created by the constitution or pursuant to an act of the National Assembly; residency and indigene provisions; immunity; National Assembly and state creation.
As at close of work yesterday, a total of 95 memoranda had been submitted by individuals and groups, indicating an additional 25 memoranda submitted yesterday.
Source: THISDAY
