Buhari writes Senate, declines assent to three bills over clarity

By Christiana Ekpa

President Muhammad Buhari yesterday wrote to the Senate, informing the red Chamber of his decision to declined assent to three (3) bills recently passed by the National Assembly over what he described as lack of clarity.
The bills are: Police Procurement Fund (Establishment) Bill 2017, Chartered Institute of Public Management of Nigeria bill 2017 and the Nigeria Council for Social Work (Establishment) bill 2017.
Buhari in his letter dated 25th January 2018, and read by the Senate President Bukola Saraki, said the Police procurement Act lack clarity regarding the manner of disbursement of funds.
The letter reads: “Pursuant to section 58(4) of Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby convey to the senate, my decision, on (25th January, 2018) to decline presidential assent to 3 (three) bills recently passed by the National Assembly, namely:
“a. Police Procurement Fund (Establishment ) Bill 2017 – due to lack of clarity regarding the manner of disbursement of funds as well as constitutional issues regarding the power of the National Assembly to appropriate funds allocated to 36 state Governments and 774 Local Government, which conflict with section 80-82 and 120-122 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended);
“b. Charted institute of Public Management of Nigeria Bills.2017- due to lack of clarity over the scope of the profession of “public management” that this Bill prohibits all persons who are not members of the institution from practicing; and “c. Nigeria Council for Social Work (Establishment Bill. 2017 – due to lack of clarity over the scope of the profession of “social work” that the Bill prohibits all persons who are not members of the institution from practicing .
“Please accept, Distinguished Senate President,the assurances of my highest consideration”.