Bill Establishing National Honours Award Commission scale Second Reading in Reps

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed for second reading a bill to enact the Nigerian national honours and merit award Commission.
The bill which seeks to establish a Commission to regulate matters related to national honours and merit award was sponsored by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas and Rep. Babajimi Benson.
The bill tittled “A bill for an act to repeal national honours act, Cap. N43 Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Nigerian national merit award act, Cap. N122 Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004 and enact the Nigerian national honours and merit award commission to, among other things, provide for establishment of a commission to regulate matters related to national honours and merit award in Nigeria and for related matters (HB.05).
The objectives of the bill is to repeal the Nigerian National Honours Act and the Nigerian National Merit Award Act and enact the Nigerian National Honours and Merit Award Act to establish a single commission that will fuse the functions of the respective Governing Boards and regulate matters pertaining to the National Honours and Merit award.
The highlights of the bill are:Section 1 which establishes one Commission known as the Nigerian National Honours and Merit Award Commission;Section 2 which establishes one governing Board with membership that reflect the federal character of the country;Section 5 which prescribes the functions of the commission;Section 7 which provides for nomination and disqualification.
The bill which is contained in sub section 3 of section 7 makes it possible for a person to loose and be divested of an honour or award previously given to him if at any time he falls within those disqualified under this proposed Bill.
Section 22 is the repeal section while section while section 24 prescribes the offences.