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SENATE: Ekong Sampson Makes Case for Reinstatement of Sacked Constituent

…10 Bills get first reading at Plenary

Senator representing Akwa Ibom South in the Senate, Senator Ekong Sampson has called on the Senate to intervene via a petition for the reinstatement of one of his constituents, Engr. Aniekan Paddy Ukpe into the employ of Nigerian Railways Corporation.

Engr. Ukpe, a Senior District Engineer of the corporation in charge of North Central – comprising Kaduna, Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa State, is petitioning the Senate to wade into what he termed alleged unlawful termination of his service by the corporation.

He stated in his petition that his cut off from service on April 17, 2023 did not follow due process, but was rather a witch-hunt because of his stance against institutionalized corruption he witnessed in the corporation – and as such, was illegal.

Senator Ekong Sampson, who made the petition presentation immediately after moving the motion for the adoption of Vote of Proceedings of yesterday’s plenary, drew the attention of the Senate to a possible abridgement of the rights of his constituent. He sought the leave of the Senate to lay the Petition for consideration. This was granted.

Also at the plenary today, a total of ten Bills received first reading on the floor of the Red Chamber. The Bills included the Nigeria Maritime Zone Act(Repeal & Enactment) 2023 – Sen. Suleiman Sadiq(Kwara North), Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act, 2023 – Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu(Abia North), Environmental Impact Assessment Bill, 2023 – Sen. Tahir Monguno(Borno North) and Development Planning and Project Continuity Bill, 2023 – Sen. Jibrin Barau.

Others were Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria Act(2023) – Sen. Michael Opeyemi(Ekiti Central), Bitumen Development Commission Bill, 2023 – Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim(Ondo South), Constituency/Special Projects(Budgetary Provision), 2023 – Sen. Babangida Husseini(Jigawa North), Nigerian Railway Corporation Act(Amendment), 2023 – Sen. Adeola Solomon(Ogun West), Dishonoured Cheques(Repeal & Amendment) Bill, 2023 – Sen. Sunday Karimi(Kogi West) and Nigerian Content in Programme, Contracts, Science, Engineering Technology and Innovation (Establishment) Bill, 2023 – Sen. Mohammed Musa Sani(Niger East).

The plenary, presided over by Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio also considered a motion on the ‘Need to Protect Local Meter Manufacturers in the ongoing National Mass Metering Programme of the Federal Government’, sponsored by Senator Victor Umeh(Anambra Central).

The Senate has adjourned till Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

© Samuel Udoma