Welcome to another Legislative Day at the Abia State House of Assembly.
The Speaker, Rt Hon Engr Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji led the Principal Officers into the Hallowed Chambers.
Hon Mandela Egwuruonu Obasi, Member representing Ohafia North State Constituency led the opening prayer.
The Abia State House of Assembly commenced plenary after the adoption of Votes and Proceedings of Tuesday, 23rd February, 2021.
MATTER OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
Hon Aaron Uzodike, Member representing Aba North State Constituency, brought up a Matter of Urgent Public Importance, concerning an ongoing exercise in the State which is known as the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD).
He frowned at the situation where Abians are not properly sensitized and informed about the ongoing exercise, saying the exercise is very pertinent and it is used as a yardstick for measuring indices during the National Census.
The Lawmaker prayed the House to urge the State and Local Governments to set up a Technical Committee to oversee the robust sensitization of all Abians about the ongoing exercise. He also prayed the Ministry of Information to move swiftly into action in order to sensitize the people on the need to fully partake in the ongoing exercise.
RESOLUTION
After contributions from Members, the Speaker said that the ongoing exercise should be a wake up call for all Abians. He said there is no point shouting marginalization when our people will hardly take such civic responsibility seriously, emphasising that population count is virtually used on all indices of development in the country.
The Speaker further said there should be a sensitisation program to cut across all areas in the State, and that Chairmen of the 17 LGAs in the State immediately set up Technical Committees to make sure every eligible person in the State is counted.
The Speaker therefore asked Clerk of the House to send a letter of invitation to Chief John Nwabuisi the Abia State representative at the National Population Commission so the House can interact with him on the matter.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION
Hon Nnamdi Allen Nwachukwu, Member representing Osisioma Ngwa South in his personal explanation formally invited the Lawmakers to the burial ceremony of his late father, Chief Allen Nwachukwu which is scheduled to take place on Friday, 9th of April, 2021, at Eagle “Ugo” Villa, Umuokiri, Otuobi Autonomous Community, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia State.
The Speaker said the Personal Explanation from Hon Allen Nwachukwu was self explanatory, and that the late father to the Lawmaker needed no introduction. About ninety per cent of us here must have passed through him in the course of our political journey and I make particular reference to my humble self. So the thing we owe him now is a befitting burial and also to support his son who has taken over the late elder statesman’s place politically”, the Speaker said.
He prayed God to accept the soul of the departed and give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.
ORDER OF THE DAY
1, H.A.M. 14: Motion on the need to Re-introduce History in the Basic School Curriculum of Abia State.
Sponsor of the Motion, Hon Barr Jerry Uzosike, Member representing Umuahia South State Constituency, explained to the House the importance to Re-introducing History in the Basic School Curriculum of Abia State.
He said History as the study of past events handed from one generation to another either in written or oral form must not be allowed to go extinct in entrenching values and ethics of patriotism in scholars. He went ahead to say History exposes students to a body of knowledge that enables them appreciate their role in nation building, creates love and mutual tolerance which result in peaceful existence of people in a heterogeneous society like Nigeria’s.
The Lawmaker further enumerated that History also maintains veritable records of heroes and heroines who contributed to national development which serves as an inspiration to the younger generation. He recalled that the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2007 officially expunged History from the basic school curriculum as well as relegated it to an elective instead of a core subject at senior secondary school level. “However, the importance of History in the basic school curriculum was resonant over the years which resulted to the re-introduction of the subject in the basic school system of the nation by the Nigeria Education Research and Development Council { NERDC } in 2018.
“Many years after the Federal Government approved the re-introduction of History in the basic school curriculum of the nation, many States, Abia inclusive, are yet to implement the policy”, he said.
He therefore prayed that the Honourable House resolve as follows:
a, That the State Ministry of Education should as a matter of urgency ensure immediate re-introduction of History in the Basic School Curriculum of Abia State.
b, That the State Government should recruit more History teachers, re-train the existing ones and post them to public schools in the State in order to ensure adequate number of History teachers in the State.
c, That the State Ministry of Education should ensure that all private schools in the State offer History as a compulsory subject at primary and secondary school levels.
RESOLUTION
After contributions from the Honorable Members, the Speaker said the importance of History in the basic curriculum of Abia schools cannot be overemphasized, reiterating that History is as important as every other subject.
The Speaker said he was in total support of the call to re-introduce History in Abia schools because of its numerous advantages and charged the State Ministry of Education to take adequate measures to re-introduce the subject immediately as failure to do so will force the House to look into their budget.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
The House dissolved into the Committee of the Whole to consider the following :
(1) Consideration of the Report of the House Committee on Public Utilities on H.A.B. 30 : The Abia State Water and Sewage Development Bill, 2020.
{2} Continuation of the Consideration of H.A.B. 21: A Bill for a Law to Establish Abians in Diaspora Commission.
After consideration of pages of H.A.B. 30: The Abia State Water and Sewage Development Bill, 2020, the House reverted to full plenary after a Motion by the Majority Leader, Hon Solomon Akpulonu which was seconded by the Minority Leader, Hon Abraham Oba.
The Speaker reported proceedings at the Committee of the Whole which was page by page consideration of the House Committee Report on Public Utilities H.A.B. 30 : The Abia State Water and Sewage Development Bill, 2020.
Continued consideration of the Bill is to continue on the next legislative day.
ADJOURNMENT
Hon Solomon Akpulonu, Majority Leader of the House, moved that plenary be adjourned to another Legislative day.
The Minority Leader seconded the motion.
Plenary was adjourned to Tuesday, 9th March, 2021.
Courtesy: Media Unit Office of the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly
