Reps Rescind Water Resources Bill Amid Pervasive Criticism

Nigeria lower legislative chamber, house of representatives has withdrawn the water resources bill after its passage.

Withdrawal of the bill is not unconnected with criticisms and outrage that characterised its passage.

Speaker of the house, Femi Gbajabiamila, who announced the development at Tuesday’s plenary, said it would be revisited on a later date for “proper” consideration and deliberation.

The proposed law seeks to control and manage all body of waters by establishing an act that would provide a regulatory framework for Nigeria’s water resources sector.

Although it was rejected in the previous assembly, it was reintroduced in the house as an executive bill in July and passed under controversial circumstances.

Many groups and Nigerians, including Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate, have kicked against it, arguing that it gives the federal government undue control over the water resources.

On Tuesday, Benjamin Mzondu from Benue state expressed his reservation over the contentious nature of the bill which he said he was not a party to.

The lawmaker argued that he did not have the opportunity to sight the gazetted copy of the bill and hence, was deprived of his right to contribute to its debate.

“I was misled by the use of order 12, rule 18 of our standing orders. It is an issue of law and procedure and honourable speaker, the onus of interpretation, lies on you,” he said.

“Where the bill was labelled as bill 2020, it was not considered as such … it is important to emphasize that I have painstakingly searched through all the journals of the house, and cannot find where the bill is gazetted and I stand to be challenged or corrected.

“The next question for your consideration deals with jurisdiction, whether the house has such powers to entertain a bill. Such proceedings become a nullity, ab initio no matter how conducted and decided.

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“So, having not met this condition, I wish to move that the house do rescind/expunge its decision of 23rd July 2020, which adopted the National Water Resources Bill, 2020 HB921, to have been read the third time from our records.”

Some of the lawmakers shared Mzondo concerns and sentiment hence sought that the passage of the bill should be revoked and reintroduced for consideration.

Kingsley Chinda from Rivers state spoke of the need to reflect the interest of Nigerians and consider the issues raised before the bill is transmitted to the president for assent.

In his ruling, Gbajabiamila stood down the bill and asked the rules and business committee to work on it and reintroduce it in the floor of the house to follow “the right process.”