President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated members of the National Assembly Service Commission at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.
The president performed the inauguration ceremony shortly before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting.
Those inaugurated included Ahmed Kadi Amshi, Chairman (Yobe, North East); Babagana Modu, (Borno, North East); Abubakar Tutare (Taraba, North East); Hakeem Akamo (Lagos, South West); Tunrayo Akintomide (Ondo, South West) and Atanomeyorwi Francis (Delta, South South).
Other members are: Bassey Etuk (Akwa-Ibom); Bilyaminu Yusuf Shinkafi (Zamfara, North West); Sani Saidu Kazaure (Jigawa, North West); Julius Ucha (Ebonyi, South East); Nnamdi Anyaechie (Imo, South East); Auwalu Aliyu Ohindase (Kogi, North Central) and Muazu Is’haq (Nasarawa, North Central).
The event was witnessed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, the National Security Adviser to the President, Babagana Monguno; leadership of the National Assembly; cabinet ministers and some families of the affected members.
Meanwhile, A Bill for an Act to establish the South West Development Commission (SWDC), yesterday, sailed through its second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill sponsored by Olufemi Fakeye (APC-Osun) seeks to advance infrastructural development in the region.
Leading the debate, Fakeye said the South West Development Commission, when established, would receive and manage funds allocated from Federation Account, including donations and gift.
He said the commission would be charged with the responsibility of reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damages suffered by the region.
He said there was need to tackle the ecological problem and other related environmental or developmental challenges in the South West.
Supporting the motion, Nasir Ahmed called on members to support the bill as people of all tribes and religions in the country could be found in the region.
He said the House had passed similar bills for North East and South West, saying, “what is good for the goose is good for the gander.”
in his contribution, Abbas Tajudeen said each zone in the country had one challenge or the other and needed support from the centre to address them.
Nicholas Ossai said that for the economy of Nigeria to develop, there was need to develop infrastructure in the South West through the commission.
A host of the lawmakers who contributed to the debate on the bill argued that Lagos, the home state of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, being an economic hub of the country, deserves a sustainability fund.
Hence, they said the establishment of this commission would guarantee funds for the development of the state and the South-west region as a whole.
The South-west zone consists of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states.